After the Battle
by froggiedrool
Summary: After the battle is over, what will Kagome do? What will happen when she goes to see people she once associated herself with, friend or foe? What kind of relationships and bonds will she form now? Only time will tell. Only time can heal all wounds. SesshK
1. Prologue

Prologue

It was over. The fight with Naraku had been hard and she was the only one left, pretty much everyone else had died shortly after. Inuyasha was still around, but he was with Kikyo and the cold miko hadn't wanted any other girls around Inuyasha, for fear that they would steal him away from her again. Sango had been hurt for hours after from deep wounds. Miroku had almost died from Naraku's poison insects. Shippo was killed no more then twenty minutes in because of Kagura, sure Kagura and Kanna were now dead, but that didn't help the pain.

Oh, how she ached to see Inuyasha, to hold him once more under the starry night skies, but that was impossible to do so now. The jewel had been destroyed and she had brought back Kikyo to make Inuyasha happy. What a mistake that had been. He now couldn't see her anymore, he couldn't have contact with her, he couldn't even wave to her if he randomly saw her walking by. That's why she had to leave.

She had said goodbye to her mother long ago, telling her that she had to stay in the Sengoku Jidai to live her life peacefully. No matter where she went, the future, the past, somewhere in between the two where nothing else existed but her and the blue lights that surrounded her, she couldn't be happy, she couldn't live a good life. That is what she was now trying to find. That is what she was now using her time to do, to find peace and happiness.

Her and Sesshoumaru had joined forces while Inuyasha was down. They had almost finished Naraku off, but he had disappeared, and now no one had any clue of where he may be. She figured that he just gave up on killing Inuyasha because Inuyasha had grown too strong. She figured that he had given up killing her because he had already basically ripped her soul from her body, ripped her very heart from her being. She was now just a wandering shell, waiting for something good to come along.

She had a name, a name that no one had used in a long time, a name that she never thought of anymore. She was just known as the traveling miko, the miko who could never compare to Kikyo. The miko that had tried her damnedest to give her life for Inuyasha to compete with Kikyo, but could not. The miko that had tried to save her friends with her own self, but could not. It seemed to that certain miko, that Naraku had almost wanted to keep her alive, but for what reason. What purpose did it serve him to keep her alive. She was now useless, she could not see jewel fragments, for there weren't any to see, she could no longer feel emotion if he killed someone she held close, she had no emotion left.

Where would she go now? Sure, Sesshoumaru had been courteous enough to lend her his home until she could find another, but she couldn't accept that. She didn't want to intrude, although she longed to be near someone she knew. She had nowhere to run, no where to hide, and certainly no one to love her. Maybe, just maybe, Kouga would let her stay with him a while, after all, he had wanted to mate with her long ago.

That is where her story began, her story of her adventure with all of her new found friends, allies, and acquaintances. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one

She had walked for days on end, trying to find her way to her destination. She had walked through torturous mountain landscapes, through scratching, slicing shrubs, through the deep, seemingly never ending forests. She was now walking up another mountain slope, her life in danger with every step she had taken. She was trying not to fall and so far, it had been working well for her. When she finally did slip, a hand had grabbed hers and pulled her up to safety.

Stuck in the past, where she longed to be, she thought it was her beloved Inuyasha. Unfortunately, it hadn't been, it had been Hakkaku. Ginta was standing next to him, awaiting his orders for help to take her to Kouga. Looking into Hakkaku's eyes, she had seen a look of pity and sorrow for her, she saw the same look from Inuyasha when he had chosen Kikyo after the battle. Not able to stand the look, she had tilted her head slightly and smiled at the two, acting as if she was perfectly fine, although everyone had known she wasn't.

"Haven't seen you in quite some time, Hakkaku, Ginta. Thank you, you saved me from certain death." She said in a pseudo cheery voice. "It was no problem. I suppose you are here to see Kouga." Ginta said, offering a hand to the miko. "Yes, that's why I came here. Is it all right if I go up there?" She had only asked because she was afraid he had found someone else to go after instead of herself. "Yeah, it's safe. Don't worry, Kouga is still lusting after you. That wolf wont quit until you're his." Hakkaku says, jumping into the conversation. "Okay, well let's go then, I haven't seen him in a while." She says, taking Ginta's outstretched hand, as well as Hakkaku's.

The three had traveled up the rest of the mountain, which was a lot safer for her then traveling alone. Upon arriving, Kouga was already outside the cave, sniffing around for the scent he thought he had caught. Turning to see her, he had welcomed her with open arms, embracing the one he hadn't seen in over five months. "I've missed you." He proclaims, holding her in his arms, breathing in the smell he had grown so fond of. "And I have you." She replies, hugging him back.

"How have you been? Are you ready to come live here? Are you done with that mutt?" He asks, letting the girl move away from him to look into his face. "I've been fine, you?" "Well, I'm fine now that you're here." "Kouga, you're so flattering." She says, watching as he chuckles softly. "I was actually coming to see if I could stay here for a while. Nothing permanent, but I just need a place to stay for now." She explains, sitting on a large rock that had been behind her for a while now. "As long as that mutt doesn't come and start a fight, I have no problem with you living here. Stay as long as you'd like." He tells her softly, running his rough hand across her smooth cheek. "No, he won't be coming. He's too caught up with Kikyo." She tells him, walking away to the edge of the mountain.

The wolf prince walked to her, standing behind her shuddering form, wrapping his solid arms around her hips. "So, he left you for that witch, did he?" Kouga asks, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Yes, but it was my doing. I wished for her to be alive so he would be happy." She tells him, turning around to clutch onto him, to cry into his chest. Rubbing her back soothingly, he had promised her anything in the world, anything that she could want, if she would stay with him for eternity. Staring out into the horizon, watching the sun dip behind the mountains, painting the sky different colors, as though the sky were its paper and it were a brush, he knew that he would keep that promise, whether she was with him or not.

He had been standing with her for quite some time, making silent promises to the girl he had loved for so long. He knew she probably only loved him as family, or as a friend, but he longed day in and day out for something so much more then that. Not only would he have the one he loved, but he would be able to rub it into that stupid mutts face, showing the hanyou that he had the better women of the two. Although he wished for this to happen, he was sure it could never be, he was sure she would find another love and kill him inside more, but no matter how much she had hurt him inside, he had still wanted her, still loved her with all of his heart. He had handed her his heart, as well as his soul, long, long ago.

"Kagome, will you stay here, will you become my mate and make me the happiest wolf that has ever lived?" He asks, tickling her ear with his whispered questions. "Kouga." Was all she was able to say, all she was able to produce from the inside of her chest. "I understand, I just want you to be happy Kagome." He tells her, sighing to himself at another failed attempt at getting her. "Kouga, it's not that. It's just," She starts, not knowing if she can find the proper words. She wouldn't let him down, she wouldn't make him entirely happy either, she wasn't sure what she would make him. "Just what?" He asks, waiting to hear the let down he had heard so many times before. "No one has used my name for so long. It made me feel so wonderful. Kouga, if I could stay here for the rest of my life, I would, but I cant stay in the mountains, it's too quiet, too hidden." She tells him, making his heart leap as she said it.

"You would really stay here, just to make me happy?" "Of course Kouga, I would do anything to make you happy, you're the only person I have left in this world." "Then I'll move, I'll move the whole tribe, or you and I can live at the bottom of the mountain, protect the tribe from anything that tries to come its way." He tells her, making plans for the two of them, for their future together. She giggles softly, arousing his attention from the wonderful thoughts of the future with her, to the wonderful sight of her in present time. "Kouga, maybe I came too early, maybe I should find somewhere else to stay so I can clear my head, so I can plan for my future." "No, stay here, please." He begs, almost ready to chain her to his wall so she can never leave him again. "I'll stay, but I will need to go see Sesshoumaru for a while in a couple of days." She explains to him, walking inside the den to see all the wolves she had missed so dearly for so long.

"Hi there!" Everyone shouted at once, startling the poor girl. She had grasped her chest, heaving air in and out, trying not to die of a heart attack. "Hello everyone, how have you all been?" "Good, you?" "Fine, have you been good for Kouga lately?" She asks them, sounding like a mother wondering if her child had been good for the babysitter while she was out for the night. "Yes Miss Kouga." She laughs for a moment and then sits down. "Oh guys, I'm not Kouga's mate." "But you will be, right?" They ask, hoping that she'll be there to stay. They all loved her so much, they wanted her and Kouga to be happy, and they wanted them to be happy together. "We'll see where my life takes me. I'm here for a little while, but I'm going to visit someone for a while, see how they're doing?" She tells them, standing right back up to find the place she would be staying.

Walking into Kouga's room, she had laid out her sleeping bag, in hopes of getting a good night sleep, since she hadn't for close to a week now. After getting comfortable, Kouga walks in, making more noise that really appreciated. "Kagome!" He shouts, looking around for the young girl. Curling up inside her sleeping bag, she had wished he would leave her alone for the night. Shortly after those thoughts, she had fallen into a deep sleep, not listening to anything else that Kouga had wanted to say to her.

Awaking the next morning, she had found herself in a completely different place then she had fallen asleep. Instead of her sleeping bag, she was laying in a futon. Instead of being covered by her sleeping bag, she was covered by the strong body of Kouga. Trying to situate herself out of the futon, she had pushed herself too close to the wolf and he grunted at her movements. Finding herself being pulled closer to the body, she was now breathing on his chest, which had woken him up quickly. "Ah!" He squealed, sounding almost equivalent to a little girl. "Kagome, what on Earth are you doing?" He asks "Sorry Kouga. I was trying to get out of the futon and I accidentally woke you up." She says, sitting up and running to the door. "That's not all you did woman." He grumbles as she walks out the door.

Bracing her back on the door, she slid down to the floor, only to stand right back up when she had heard moaning coming from the room she was in moments ago. Knocking on the door and then opening it slightly, she had seen Kouga relieving himself of the pressure she had accidentally built up inside him. "Uh." She managed to get out, startling the wolf and making him run behind a screen that was in the room. "Kagome, what are you doing in here?" He asks, a blush spreading wildly across his face. "Uh." She said again, turning her own head to hide the blush that was running across her cheeks. "I just came in here to tell you I'm going to go visit Sesshoumaru for a week or so." She explains, ready to grab the door and swing it shut. "Wait! Can I come with you?" He asks, coming out from the screen, now fully clothed and looking as if nothing happened. "It's all right Kouga. You stay here and watch over your tribe. I'll be back in a few days. Who knows, maybe Sesshoumaru will come with me." She says, running to him and hugging him gently and then saying goodbye. "See you in a few days." She tells him while leaving the cave.

On her way to the Western Lands, she had run into a few problems, demons that were out for blood, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle, she had her arrows. Plus, her miko powers had grown immensely and she was fully capable of anything that Kikyo could do and more.

It was mid afternoon of the third day away from Kouga's cave that she had finally arrived at the Western Lands. She had finally gotten to see Sesshoumaru's house, more like castle, but nevertheless, she still got to see it. There were thriving plants all around, gardens filled with lovely, foreign flowers everywhere. There where so many beautiful birds, as well as other small creatures running around, enjoying whatever they could find. She could sense the purity and serenity that filled this place. It was the most spectacular, pure thing she had ever seen, despite the fact that an arrogant, narcissistic youkai lord was residing there. She had guessed it was Rin's doing so that made this place so wonderful.

Looking around, she kind of felt that she was trespassing, considering she didn't think he knew she was there. Moments later, she had found out quite the opposite. Sesshoumaru had basically just appeared right in front of her, making her fall back startled. "Miko." He says, acknowledging the fact that he knew her and wouldn't kill her. "Hello Sesshoumaru." She says, standing up and brushing herself off. After doing so, she had bowed deeply to him, showing him her newly found respect for him. Nodding his head, he walks to a bench put in the middle of the garden and places himself upon it, watching as the miko had made her way and stood next to it.

"Are you not going to sit miko?" He asks, moving over a little to show her the place he had saved for her. "Oh. Thanks." She says, sitting next to him, feeling a little awkward, she hadn't been near him since that unfortunate day. She didn't want to remember it, so she had refrained from letting the memories of it overcome her. "I suppose you have come here to see your companions graves." He assumes, getting ready to get up and lead her over to the grave sites. He had been nice enough to dig them for her personally and carefully put the bodies in, covering them and putting markers on top. She hadn't known of this until he had told her about a month after it had actually happened. She had thought Naraku had sucked in their bodies and hadn't worried about it since then.

"No, I came here to visit." She replies, thinking it kind of awkward for him to get a random visit from someone such as herself. "I see." He says, seeming to wonder why she was here for a visit. "You came to visit Rin then." "No. Just to visit in general. I thought it would be nice to see you and Rin again." "What of Jaken?" He asks, raising his delicately shaped eyebrow. "Not to be rude, but he was kind of annoying." "Indeed." He says, agreeing wholly with her statement about the ignorant toad. "So how have you been?" She asks, not wanting to sit in silence. "Livable." He replies, sounding very unenthused about his life. "Oh." "And how have you been miko?" "Very unlivable." She tells him, laughing at her own misfortunes. "Explain." "Explain what?" "How it is to be unlivable. I don't see how one can be unlivable." He says, wondering indeed, how it was possible. "Eh, just wandering alone a lot, looking for somewhere to belong, somewhere where I can be loved." She tells him sadly, not wanting to tell him exactly how pitiful she was. "Then how come you had not come sooner?" He asks, sounding completely out of character. "I'm not too sure."

They had talked about her life, about his, about everything. They had grown a lot closer over the couple of hours she had been there. "I should probably be going." "Where will you be staying? He asks. "I have been staying in the mountains with Kouga. He was happy to have me there." She tells him, standing up from the bench, falling down instantly. "Why have you been staying there? Surely you could have found somewhere better then a cave in the mountains." He says, sounding disgusted that you could even think about sleeping in a dirty cave. "It's a nice cave. It's comfortable." She answers, massaging her leg, trying to get the sleepy feeling out. "Why did you not come to stay here? I offered you a place to stay, even live." He says, confused highly about your decisions. "I didn't want to intrude. I mean, you have such a strict life already so I didn't want to ruin everything." She says, trying to make up a decent story to cover her true reasons. "I assure you, it wouldn't be a burden. Besides, the wolf prince leads an entire pack of lusting animals, would it not be safer for you here?" He asks, almost sounding concerned about her well being. "I suppose it would, but I really don't mind being there. Besides, I think Kouga plans to mate with me soon." She explains, finally standing up and dusting the grass off her skirt. "All right, but stay in my home tonight, there are many untrustworthy youkai out there. It's not good for a human to be out at night." Sesshoumaru demands, offering a safe night of rest instead of camping out in the woods again. "All right, but only tonight. I think Kouga probably wants me back there soon." She tells him. "Why are you worried about the desires of the wolf? You never cared about what my half brother told you to do, why start following orders now?" He asks, making an excellent point. She just shrugs as she follows Sesshoumaru into the shelter he so graciously offered for the night.

"Oyasumi Nasai!" She says, walking into the room behind the shoji screen he had just shown her. He bows lightly telling her, "I will get a servant to come and tell you when dinner is ready, get different clothing on." He says, turning to walk off. "Sesshoumaru!" She yells, hoping that got his attention. "Hai?" He was now standing in the room and she had no shirt on. "Ah!" She screams, trying to cover herself to the best of ability, but only succeeding in bending over and giving Sesshoumaru a wonderful up skirt view. Sensing her frustration and modesty, he turns and looks at the ever so boring walls thinking, I must get some more things to look at in here. "I don't have any other clothes Sesshoumaru." She whispers, not knowing if he heard or not. "There are some laying on the futon over there, should you have looked, I would not have seen you in those odd contraptions I am sure you call clothing." He says, stepping towards the shoji screen. "Oh, um, thanks." She says, "Hai." He says, walking out of the room to get himself more presentable, after all, he had been outside the majority of the day and his hair was in tangles.

After a while of sitting in the room, trying to make her hair stay the way you wanted it to, she got sick of it not doing anything and threw the brush across the room. Hearing someone enter the room, she turns around and see a female servant standing in front of her. "Sesshoumaru-sama heard you yelling from down the hall and thought you might need some assistance with the kimono or something, so he sent me in here." The young girl said softly, looking at the ground instead of at you. "You can look at me, don't worry, it doesn't offend me. It's not the kimono, the kimono was perfect, who picked it out?" Kagome asked, thinking it was someone who had a very good guess on her size. "Sesshoumaru-sama picked it out himself. What did you need help with?" The young girl informed her. "Oh, it was my hair. It wont do anything I want it to." She growls, getting angry at her lack of ability to do anything with the ball of fluff upon her head. "I can fix that for you." The girl says as she hurries over to Kagome. The young girl had talented hands. She had run only a gel through her hair, something foreign knowing Sesshoumaru, and easily put up her hair with that and expensive hair pins. "All done." She says, standing back to admire her work. "Thank you so much!" The miko said, hugging the girl who couldn't be anymore then fifteen years old, around Kagome's age. "It was easy, it only took me a few minutes. I think Sesshoumaru-sama said that dinner would be ready in soon so you should probably go make your entrance." She says, turning to leave the room. "Hey!" The miko yells, making the girl turn. "Hai?" "What's your name?" "Sakura." "That's a beautiful name, I'm Kagome. Come here later, I would like to get to know you more." "All right, I will." Sakura says happily, running out of the room to tell the other servant girls how nice you are.

Making her way to the dining room, from the directions a make servant had given her, she slides the screen open and walks in. "Konnichi Wa, Sesshoumaru-sama." "Kon'nichi Wa." He replies, looking at her like she had grown another head. "Come sit." He tells her, watching as she moves to the small table, sitting directly across from Sesshoumaru. "You look… nice" Sesshoumaru tells her, sounding scared of giving a compliment and scaring her away. "Thank you. You look nice as well." She replies, smiling at him. The dinner was then brought out and the two ate in silence. After dinner, Sesshoumaru had walked the girl to her room and opened the door. Kagome walked in, but was a little surprised when Sesshoumaru had followed her. "Uh, Sesshoumaru?" She asks, looking at him warily. "What are you doing in here?" "Just seeing you to your room. You are a guest, so I should do so, should I not?" "I suppose so." She replies, thinking that, that may not have been his intentions.

Well, Oyasumi Nasai." "Am I being thrown out of a room in my own home?" Sesshoumaru asks, laughing inside. "No! I didn't mean to be rude! I just thought you were leaving now." She explains, trying not to sound completely stupid. "I was going to visit for a while, but if you would like to rest, I will leave." "It's fine, come sit down." She says, motioning him to sit with her on the floor. "I prefer to stand in here, it is not too comfortable on the ground." He says, watching the girl scramble off the floor to join the person in her room. "I did not say you must stand as well." "I know, but that way I don't have to strain my neck to look up at you." She tells him, making complete sense only in her mind. "Ah." He says, moving closer to the girl and placing his hand on her shoulder. Looking at his hand and then into his eyes, she didn't know what was going to happen next until it did. He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and the turned to leave. Opening the shoji screen, he looks back at her and sees her touch her lips and then look at him, questioning his actions. "So you did not have to strain your neck." He replies, as he walks out of the room and slides the screen shut.

Soon afterwards, Sakura comes running into her room and basically jumps on her. "I heard you kissed Sesshoumaru-sama." She squeals, her face lit up with delight. "Well, he kissed me, but I suppose you could say that." Kagome says, pondering upon the thought. "What was it like?" Sakura asked, wanting to know every detail. Kagome thought for a minute, trying to think of the right words. "It was wonderful. His lips were so soft, but I doubt it'll happen again, so I shouldn't get so happy about it." Kagome tells the girl. Did I actually enjoy it? I cant believe that I did. I thought I was supposed to grow to love Kouga as a mate, not getting off on a mere kiss that a youkai lord gave me. "Still, you're so lucky, I don't even think Sesshoumaru-sama has even done that in his life. He's never cared enough about someone." Sakura explains, getting up and straitening her clothes. "I should get back to my room before Sesshoumaru-sama finds out I was in this hall without any reason." She says as Kagome gets up and hugs her. "See you later Sakura." Kagome says, slipping out of her kimono and watching the young girl leave. Kagome gets into her futon and under the covers. Little did she know, Sesshoumaru had heard their entire conversation. It was true he hadn't cared about anyone like he cared for Kagome and yes, that was the first time he had ever done that, but was it that obvious? Why did Kagome think that he would never do it again, it wasn't like he had done it while he was under the influence. He would think about it more in the morning, right now, he needed to clear his thoughts by sleeping.

Sesshoumaru had woken before everyone, even before Rin had bothered Jaken enough to play with her in the early hours. Deciding to go sit out in the garden and watch the sun rise, he walked outside. When he got to the garden, he realized he was not alone. The miko had come outside moments before to do the same thing. "Hello Sesshoumaru." She says as she feels his presence approaching. "Hello miko." "Why don't you ever use my name?" Kagome asks, she had been wondering this for a while now. "Because, I thought it would be rude of me to assume I could call you by your given name, so I call you by your status, like everyone else." He replies, hoping that she wont ask anymore questions. "Oh, everyone else." She whispers, letting a single tear slip down her face just as the sun had come up. "Why do you cry?" He asks, scolding himself for saying anything to her at all. "Huh? I wasn't crying, I just had something in my eye." She says, but he saw right through her lies. "I believe it is something more then that. Would you care to tell me?" He asks, now interested in why she had lied to him. "Don't worry about it." She tells him, getting up to walk back to her room. "It cant be nothing, people do not just cry for no reason. It was obviously something terrible if it caused you to stain your lovely face with red." He tells her, grasping her hand and pulling her down on top of him.

"Sesshoumaru?" She asks, now on top of the youkai. She thought it was strange that she would end up on him of all places. "Tell me?" He asks, not particularly wanting to see her cry anymore. She leaned her head into his chest and closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat for a moment or two. "It's just, everywhere I go, no one speaks my name. Everyone calls me 'miko' like I'm a part of a group. I know I may not be terribly original, but I'm certainly not like a lot of the miko's that I have met. I guess that I just wish someone loved me." She explains, starting to let her tears roam around freely, dampening Sesshoumaru's clothing. He stokes her back as she cries out whatever's left in her and wraps the other around her. Hearing her gasp, he raises an eyebrow. "Sesshoumaru, when did you grow back your other arm?" She asks, she had been completely oblivious to the fact that he had used it so often now. "Before the fight. I have had it a while. I didn't use it at first, that's why you probably did not notice." He tells her, pulling her closer to him as she continues to cry on him.

The two sat there, unknowing of what to say, finding it kind of odd that she is now sitting in his lap. "Sesshoumaru." She starts, looking up into his pale face, seeing that he equally confused. "We should return inside." He tells her, picking her up with himself. "I wish I could, but I have to get back to the den." Kagome states sadly, not ready to leave, but needing to clear her head more then any other time she has had to in her life. "I see. I will accompany you to the wolves den. There is no reason for you to have to travel alone." "Will Kouga be fine with it?" She asks, wondering if it was really a good idea to have the two together. "He will welcome me, that is sure. Let me gather Rin, she must banish her fear of those mangy wolves." He explains, pivoting and walking to get her.

When the youkai lord and the two ningen women were traveling back, there were no problems except for Kagome's constant need to rest. "Miko, if you keep resting, we shall never make it there." Sesshoumaru states during one of these stops. "I'm sorry, but it's not like I'm really athletic here." She complains, rather grouchy that she had to walk all this way when they were capable of flying Aun. "Do you really wish to ride Aun that badly? If you have a need to sit on your backside for excessive amounts of time while we are traveling, you should have say something." He tells her snidely, throwing her onto Aun along with Rin and taking off into the sky, leaving the green, two headed dragon to follow his master.

Arriving at the den in a very short amount of time, the miko had jumped off of the dragon and ran to the opening, obviously seeing Kouga and jumping on him when she got to him. "Whoa! Kagome, you're back." He says, sniffing around, unable to process whose smell was around. "It's Sesshoumaru." The girl says. "Oh, he came, did he?" "Yeah, it was a lot more safe for me to travel with him." "I offered to go." Kouga tells her, trying to get the point across that he didn't like the youkai lord.

"I do believe it is because the wolf does not like me. He and I have had some run ins previous to this moment, but I know he will certainly let Rin and I stay here with you. After all, he would not want something to happen to the precious tribe." Sesshoumaru says, rounding the rocky corner, glaring at Kouga. "Sure, come trampling into my den, that's just what we need, another male." Kouga sarcastically throws out. "My pleasure." Sesshoumaru replies, grabbing the miko's arm and bringing her along with him. "By the way, tell your mutts in there that, if any of them lay a hand on Rin, I will personally see to it that they are severely punished for it." Sesshoumaru growls, walking into Kouga's room with Kagome, leaving Rin outside with Aun.

"Sesshoumaru, what are we doing in here?" Kagome asked blindly. "We are finishing what happened yesterday. I had to leave early because of that Sakura girl and I have been waiting all day." He explains to her, the chocolate brown eyes on her face blowing up in size. "I didn't know anything else needed to happen." She said wearily. "It is obvious, that girl told you right, I have not felt this excellent in many years and I will do anything to keep it that way, even mate with a ningen." He tells her, walking to her and dropping his haori to the floor in the process. "Uh, do I have no say in what happens to me?" "No, not anymore. I will not let you control me like you did my stupid half brother." "I am not yours, you have to ask first!" She demands, yelling and crashing out of the room.

Stepping outside, she sits beside the wolf prince, who had stayed outside the entire time. "Have fun with your dog?" He asks, glaring at her out of the corner of his eyes. "My dog? Sesshoumaru is not my dog." "Well, you two have certainly gotten a lot closer over the past few days." Kouga says, assaulting her with words of disgust. "I haven't gotten close to anyone! That's what I was trying to prevent!" She yells, running away from the den as fast as she could. Sesshoumaru had suddenly dropped in front of her and was now holding her to his body. She had then chosen to leave quickly and used her miko powers. She hadn't known she could go so long, but she was near the well.

Jumping through with no thoughts, she disappeared into the miasma of blue that had thread the past and future together. It wasn't closed, it wasn't going to be closed, that was Kikyo's only promise for bringing her back to life. Landing on the other side, she saw legs dangling over the side, and a young boy peering down at her. "Sister!" Souta yelled from the rim of the deep well. "Hello Souta. How've you been?" "Not bad. When are you bringing Inuyasha back here for me?" Souta asks excitedly. "Never. He isn't able to come back anymore, he's too busy." She tells him, climbing up the ladder and swinging her self over the edge. She then ran upstairs without saying hello to her Mother or Grandfather.

Back in the Sengoku Jidai, Sesshoumaru had been looking for Kagome for a weeks time. Every time he got to that well, her smell would stop, like she had just stop existing. Running to the small village of Edo, he rips open the Shoji screen of Inuyasha's house and yanked him from the ground. "Whadya want ya bastard?" He asks. "Brother, you need to stop drinking, it is an undesirable habit if it is done frequently." "Shuddup." Inuyasha spits out, his voice slurring letters and words together. "Where is Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asks, raising Inuyasha to his height. "Why the hell would I know? She's no longer in my life, didn't tha little wench tell ya that?" Sesshoumaru had heard quite about enough and backhanded his half brother across his face, leaving streaks of blood behind. "Never refer to her as a wench, you hear me you insolent little brat? Where does she normally go after that well out in the field?" Sesshoumaru asks, getting ready to demand answers. "She goes down into it to her time. Only her and I can pass through it, maybe I should go tease her, make her think I left Kikyo again." Inuyasha says, his voice filled with hatred for the miko he once knew. "You will do nothing of the sort, if I can not go down there myself, I will be waiting for her and I will not let anyone pass." Sesshoumaru says, throwing the hanyou against his home and turning towards the well. "What do you want with her anyways, she's no good anymore!" Inuyasha yells to Sesshoumaru. "Just because you are blind younger brother, does not mean that I am as well, you get that trait from your late Mother, not your Father." Sesshoumaru spits out and walks away.

Sesshoumaru had looked at the well for a while, seeing if he could figure out a key or something to get himself through. Finally just jumping in, he sees blue all around him and lands on the bottom of the well. "Damn, I thought I had made it through. Oh well, I shall wait for her here then." He says as he jumps up. Instead of the blue skies above, he noticed that he had been in some kind of a cabin or house. Opening the big wooden doors, he sniffs the air, smelling nothing but Kagome. He knew she was here, this must have been her home, this must have been where she had gone all those times when he had visited Inuyasha and she was not there. He followed her scent to the house that was by the old shack that kept the well and he knocked against the modern door.

When Miss. Higurashi answered the door, he had bowed to her and asked for the miko. "Oh, Kagome is in her room. Do you mind if I ask you for a name?" She asks ever so politely. "Sesshoumaru." "I've heard about you Sesshoumaru-san. I didn't know you could travel through the well like Inuyasha and Kagome." "I did not know until just now either. May I find my way upstairs and see the miko?" He asks, not wanting to just push through the house and force her out. "Yes, her room is right up stairs, the first door." Miss. Higurashi says, stepping aside to let the youkai inside the small house.

Making his way up the stairs, he had opened the door to her room, figuring that she was just sleeping anyways. He had been completely wrong. It seemed to him that she had just gotten out of the bath. Just staring at her nude form, she didn't even notice him standing there, watching as she mover to put her clothes on. Turning around to look for her shirt, she had finally seen him. After screaming for a good two minutes, she had scurried around and eventually just decided to grab a dress out of her closet and slip it on over her head. Sesshoumaru was still watching her when she was done dressing herself. "What are you staring at?" She snaps, trying to force down her embarrassment. "I was seeing where you had gone off to in such a hurry." "Well, now that you know, please leave." The miko says, moving to the sliding glass door that her Mother had just put in and opened it, standing on the balcony outside her room.

After thinking for a while, she had come back in to find Sesshoumaru sitting propped up against her bed, sitting on the floor. "Sesshoumaru, if you're going to stay, at least sit somewhere comfortable. Sit in the bed." She says, trying to adapt him into her world. "What is this bed?" "The thing that you are using as a back rest, now up." "What else is this 'bed' useful for?" He asks, sitting down, surveying the thing he was sitting upon. "Sleeping. It is normally used for sleeping." She answers, sitting on the other end of the bed. "I would think it would be nice for the females while mating, since they like soft things, or so I have heard." He says, not really to Kagome, but not to himself either. "Uh, yeah, I suppose it could be used for that." She says, looking oddly at Sesshoumaru. He had been saying very interesting, out of character things to her lately, she was starting to wonder if he had a head problem or something.

"I do wish to try that one of these days." He says randomly. "Sesshoumaru! It's not like you have anyone you can do that with here!" Kagome squeals, hoping that he doesn't think anything weird. "You are quite wrong." "Who then?" "Well, the woman who had given birth to you seems to be quite strong." He tells her. "MY MOTHER!" "I was only joking. It is not my intention to mate with your Mother. It has been my intention to mate someone else, but it has not happened yet." "Oh." She says as she lays down and her eyes flutter closed. Now she had been sleeping. Sesshoumaru decided that it was probably safe for him to rest as well, so he laid down next to the miko and wrapped his arm around her, keeping her safe for the night.

When she awoke, she found a sleeping youkai next to her and almost jumped three feet into the sky. She had forgotten he had made a visit the night before. His arm was around her waist and he was sleeping on his stomach, not really ready for any battle that may occur, not that there would in the modern era. Deciding to just wait until he woke up, she laid there, thinking about her life, about her future, about everything. Eventually her had woken up and looked at her with groggy eyes. "Don't you look absolutely stunning in the morning." Kagome says, laughing at the youkai who had terrible bed head at the moment. "These are quite comfortable. I do wish to stay a little longer, if that is fine with your Mother and you of course." He tells her, explaining that he is intrigued in the world she had originated from. "All right, I'm going to bathe though, make yourself comfortable." "Mhm." He replies, following her into the bathroom. "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing in here? I told you I was taking a bath." "I wish to take one as well." "Then take one after me." "Why waste water?" He asks, making total sense. "Because, people don't take baths together here unless they're married or are very in love with each other." She explains to him. "Let us get married then. That way, you do not waste so much water." "What?" She asks, completely shocked he said something like that to her.

"Marriage is for people in love, not for people who want to save water. You don't know the concept of a lot of things here. Just go sit in my bed and wait for me to come out." She tells him, pushing him out the door. After locking the door and running the bath water, she had settled in. Sesshoumaru then unlocked the door from the outside and slipped into the bathroom without her knowing. "Kagome, I am coming in." He warns, undressing himself quickly. She now had a youkai lord sitting behind her in the bathtub and she was wondering why she had ever been stuck in this predicament anyways. He washed her back for her, rubbing his slender fingers along her spine, making her shiver inside. Feeling that something would happen if she didn't get out of there soon, she washed her hair and got out, only to be followed by Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru, why do you keep following me around all the time?" She asks, not used to having people follow her around, she had always followed others around. "I do not live in this world, I live in the one on the other side of that well, therefore, should I not follow around someone who knows what they are doing?" He asks rhetorically, dropping the towel he had around his waist and dressing himself right in front of her. "Mom!" Moments later, trampling feet come up the stairs and down the hall. "What is it dear?" Miss. Higurashi asks, her eyes widening as she sees her daughter in a towel and the youkai lord in his clothing, his hair wet. "I need you to take Sesshoumaru to the store with you. Get him used to outside and everything. Are there any of Fathers old clothes in your closet still?" "Yes, Sesshoumaru, come on." "Hai." He says, loyally following Kagome's mother.

While walking down the hall, Miss. Higurashi stared deeply at the tall youkai. "Is there something you need Miss. Higurashi, or are you just staring at me because you find me attractive?" Sesshoumaru asks out of nowhere. "Oh, gomen. I didn't mean to stare. I do have to ask you something though." She states, stopping once the two are in her room and the door is shut. "What is it?" "Are you and Kagome having sex?" She asks him, looking at him with her careful eye. "What is that supposed to be?" "Uh, never mind, I'll ask Kagome about it." She states quickly, opening the closet and pulling out a suit. "This should do." She says to herself, holding it up to Sesshoumaru.

After helping Sesshoumaru get into the suit, he picks up his swords and begins to get his obi so he can tie them to his side. "What are those?" She asks. "My swords." "You cant go out in public with swords, it's illegal!" "I do not leave them anywhere or in the care of anyone." He tells her. "They stay here. I cant have you parading around the streets with swords tied to your side." She grabs the swords from him and throws them onto the bed. Growling at her, she screams and Kagome comes rushing in. "What happened!" She yells, instantly suspecting Sesshoumaru. "He growled at me!" She yelps, moving away from him slowly. "Sesshoumaru!" "She took my swords from me AND she threw them!" He yells, not remembering the last time he had raised his voice to anyone. "You still don't growl!" She tells him, reaching up and flicking his nose.

He then started to glare at her, wanting to jump and tear them both to shreds. "Don't give me the death glare mister! You're the one who growled then yelled at me!" She tells him, pulling him by his hyper-sensitive ear. "Let go of me you damnable woman!" "No! You're going to learn your lesson." She tells him, swinging open her door and pulled him in with her. She threw him in the corner and made him face the wall. "You have a very boring wall." He tells her, angering her further. "I don't care! You stay there until I come and get you! If you move, I'll be so angry!" She yells, stomping out of the room. Right after she had slammed the door shut, he had moved to her bed.

Hours later, Sesshoumaru had heard her coming up the stairs. Not wanting to anger her further, he swiftly moved to the corner and faced the uninteresting walls again. When she opened the door, she had walked over to him and rested her head against his back. "Sorry Sesshoumaru." She apologized, starting to cry once again. "It is fine." "No, I shouldn't have been so mean." She tells him as he turns and wraps his arms around her. She had yet to fell comfortable in his arms, so she gasped a little and he held tighter. The two moved to the bed and he laid her down softly, then he got on as well.

Swinging one leg over her, he was now holding himself up with his arms and knees. He softly kissed her nose and then her lips. Since he had been here, he had wanted to try out this bed and he would if he could. "Sesshoumaru." The girl moans out quietly. "Do not make noise, just enjoy." He tells her, running his searing tongue from the hollow of her throat, to the tip of her throat. Just as Sesshoumaru and herself were caught up in another passionate kiss, Miss. Higurashi walks in and jumps.

"Kagome! What on Earth are you doing with that boy!" She asks, horror evident in her face. "Mom!" Kagome yelled, sitting up and colliding heads with Sesshoumaru. "Downstairs, now!" "But Mom…" "But Mom, nothing!" She yells, turning her back and walking down to the kitchen. Kagome sighed and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. "Come on Sesshoumaru." She says, getting up and walking out of the room. "Where is Sesshoumaru?" Her Mother asked her as she got down the stairs. "Sesshoumaru!" Kagome called. Seconds later, he was there, his right hand sitting in the small of her back protectively.

"Just explain what you were doing in there." Miss. Higurashi says, as the three of the sat at the table, Sesshoumaru and Kagome on one side, her Mother across from them, glaring at the both. "We were simply…" "It was nothing Mom!" Kagome quickly says, jumping in before Sesshoumaru said anything too deadly. "That didn't seem like nothing to me Kagome. Now, let Sesshoumaru speak." Pounding her head against the table, Kagome thought her life would now be over. "Miss Higurashi, I will tell you this once and once only, we were doing nothing wrong. We were simply kissing. There is nothing wrong with just that, is there?" "You were hanging over her! That wasn't going to be just kissing." "I would not do any sort of act that you are thinking of, against your daughter without your consent, I assure you." Sesshoumaru says solidly, not leaving any room to argue. "I see. Well, in that case, the two of you are going shopping." Miss Higurashi says, handing Kagome enough yen to get what she needed.

When the two were out of hearing range of enraged Mothers, Kagome stopped and stared at Sesshoumaru's back as he kept walking. He then realized she was not next to him anymore and stopped. He turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" He asks, beckoning her to keep walking so they can get back to previous actions. "How in the hell did you get my Mother to believe that!" She asks suddenly, wanting to know how he persuaded her when even she couldn't do that. Her Mother was a wise Japanese lady and wouldn't fall for such trickery easily. "Believe what? I told her nothing she had to believe, I told her the truth." Sesshoumaru tells her, turning back around and walking down the street. "What was that up stairs then?" "Exactly what I told her it was, it meant nothing." "Didn't mean anything?" She yelled, running up to him and smacking him hardly in the back of the head. "If you do not mind me asking, what was that for?" "I do mind and, don't worry, it didn't mean anything." She said snidely, running down the street, away from the youkai who had caused her such pain just moments ago. Tears were now falling freely from her eyes and she was getting many looks as she ran by.

In the store, males were staring at her, not because she had been crying, but because of her choice of attire. After all, she had been wearing a very short skirt and a shirt that had made her chest look about five times bigger. When she was in the middle of shopping, one of them had come up to her and started hitting on her. "Get away from me!" Kagome yelled, slapping him across the face. "Stupid Bitch." He said, pushing her to the ground. Just as she had hit the shelf, Sesshoumaru had appeared and helped her to her feet. "Do not touch her." He says coldly, walking away with Kagome beside him. "Who are you to say who touches her and who doesn't? What are you, her body guard or something?" He asks, stupidly stepping up to the taller man.

"Sesshoumaru, just leave him alone, he's not even worth your time." Kagome says as she grabs his arm and walks away. "Hey, why don't you dump the looser and come with me and my friends." The guy says, still trying to test Sesshoumaru's ability to keep his emotions in. The youkai had turned around just after that had been said and angrily walked up to the guy, grabbing his collar and lifting him up. "I said, do not talk to her." He says, throwing the guy down as Kagome had ran over to him. "Ditch the freak." The guy said, still trying to get her come with him. Sesshoumaru had been loosing his cool very quickly. The guy was now on his feet and pushing Kagome to the floor, just to see up her skirt. She had tried to prevent herself from falling, but she had twisted her wrist and now, it felt as if it was broken.

Kagome cried out in pain, holding her wrist to her chest. "Now you will pay. If you would have kept to yourself, you would have been fine. You will just have to learn the hard way." Sesshoumaru spoke lowly, his eyes flashing red. "Sesshoumaru, leave it alone!" She yells from the floor. Hearing her calls to him, he turned around and walked over to her. Helping her up, he picked up her hand basket and carried it along as they finished their shopping. The guys had left them alone for the remainder of their shopping trip, but she was sure they would be seeing them again some time. After getting out of the store, Sesshoumaru had walked with Kagome to the back of the building and picked her up, holding the groceries in his other hand. "What are you doing?" She asked. She soon found out because they were flying off towards her house.

He let Kagome down and they walked through the front door of the house. After all the food was put away by Sesshoumaru, Kagome directing him where to put it, he had taken her upstairs and raided her medicine cabinet. Cleaning up her cuts with warm water and a cloth, he had helped her wrap her wrist in bandages. Hopefully, in the morning, Kagome wouldn't have a swelled wrist and have to go to the doctors, she had always hated doctors. She sat silently on the edge of her bed, watching Sesshoumaru as he had tended to her wounds with care. When he was done, he disposed of the water and threw the cloth into the laundry. He then helped her lay down in her bed, pulling the covers to her and laying beside her to watch her as she slept.

"Sleep." He said after a while of her just laying there, staring into space. "I cant." "Are you having troubles with one of your injuries?" He asks, sitting up instantly and getting ready to get whatever she needed. "No." "Then what is preventing you from resting?" "My thoughts." She tells him, standing up and walking to her door. "Where are you going?" "For a walk, just around here, I'll be back in a few minutes." She explains, waving goodbye to him. "Be safe." "I will." She says before walking out of her room and then out of the front door. Sesshoumaru decided to just lay in the bed until she returned to him.

As Kagome walked, she thought she kept hearing people run around, but she didn't see anyone, so she didn't worry about it. She was just happy to be outside, the wind whipping her hair around her face. The only problem was, she hadn't changed out of the skirt so she was freezing cold, but she dealt with it and kept walking. Before she knew it, she had been at the park just down the street from her house. She walked to the swings and sat down, gently kicking her legs, drifting back and forth. She now heard whispers all around her and she knew it was real, she could almost hear what they were saying. She had been straining hard to listen in on the conversation that she hadn't noticed the person standing behind her. She yelped and jumped when she felt his hand upon her shoulder. "Who are you?" She asked, turning around and seeing the guy from the store earlier. "I'm the guy that is going to take you away from that stupid person you were with earlier." He says to her, pulling her off the swing.

He had a hold of her wrist and was now taking her a dark corner of the park. "Let me go!" She yelled, trying to pull out of his grasp. Eventually, he had to throw her onto the ground and have his friends hold her down. He pulled up her skirt and took off her panties. Unbuttoning his pants, he smirked at her, telling her what was happening next. She thrashed and yelled at much as she could, but it didn't help her any, she had just ended up with a gag in her mouth and the guys holding her down harder, pressing her into the ground. Feeling at a loss, she gave up and let her body go limp.

She was exhausted, she had killed her energy from trying to get away so much that she couldn't even fear him anymore. When he had slipped into her, she had gasped and tried to scream, but it was no help, she had no way of letting anyone know she was in trouble. He had grinded into her, painfully breaking her spirit. When he was finally done, he had let her gag go and she did not yell, she did not move, she just laid there, her eyes void of anything. "Did I break the little virgin girl?" He asks, laughing at his work, laughing at how easy it had seemed to get her.

When he was done teasing her, he held himself in front of her mouth, expecting her to do what he told her, and she had. She had done everything they had told her and she didn't fight. She had no will left in her, she had nothing to fight for anymore. Eventually he had been done with her and he left her laying on the park ground, shivering and replacing her clothes to their proper place. She had then slipped into a deep sleep, just as Sesshoumaru back at her home, had done the same.

Everyone was screaming, trying to vent their pain, tell her how hurt they were. There were burning things everywhere, nothing was alive besides the few people left. Sango was nearly dead, Miroku was dead, as were Shippo and Kirara. Inuyasha had been laying on the ground, unconscious. Sesshoumaru and herself had been fighting Naraku for a while now. He threw everything he had at them and they were a basically unstoppable team. Soon enough, he had learned that he had caused enough damage to hurt Kagome. Sure, he had hurt her physically, but she didn't care. She wanted to be dead at the moment. She wanted to run away, find somewhere, and die. Her friends were dead, the people that she loved so much were gone, they had been easily killed and a couple were still fighting. The smell of rotting flesh, dead bodies, and blood were all around them. She could no longer stand it and dropped to the ground, pounding on the Earth as if it would bring everyone back to her. Now, the only one left was Inuyasha and he had already gone to Kikyo. She sat there, soaking in her friends blood and stared blankly at her surroundings. Sesshoumaru had offered to bring them back to life, but Kagome refused. She knew they died happily, defending what they thought was right and their loved ones.

That is when the both of them woke up. Sesshoumaru hadn't known why he remembered that, but he was sure that it had to do with being around Kagome so often lately. Looking around, he noticed she wasn't in the room. Walking down the stairs, he looked around and noticed she was not there either. "Miss Higurashi?" He calls out, hoping she knows where Kagome is. "Yes dear?" She answers, coming out of the kitchen. "Do you know where Kagome is?" "No, I'm sure she'll be back soon." Miss Higurashi says, smiling at him. "She left for a walk last night and she was gone when I awoke this morning, I am not entirely sure she came home last night." Sesshoumaru says worriedly. "Oh my Kami! We have to find her!" Miss Higurashi yells, setting down her cup of tea and running out the door.

They had split up, Sesshoumaru took the right and Miss Higurashi took the left. Sesshoumaru had only done that because he had caught her scent, barely, but he had caught it. Running to find her, he used his nose to find the park she was in. It didn't smell like the same Kagome anymore. She smelled different, as though she were void of feeling. Finding her on the grass under a tree, her eyes open but not seeing anything, he tried to pick her up. She had swatted at his hand, telling him not to touch her. She had been crying, but there was absolutely no emotion in her eyes. What had happened?

"Kagome?" He asks, taking her hand. "Let me go! Don't touch me! Get away! Don't hurt me!" She yells, crawling desperately away from him. "I will not hurt you Kagome. Come here." "No! Stay away!" "I will not." He tells her, grabbing her and sitting down, pulling her in between his legs, holding her to him. She just screamed and thrashed around. "Kagome! Stop, there is nothing wrong. No harm will come to you!" He says, trying to calm her down. Finally, she just gave, up, letting herself slip into her mind, just like she had the night before.

Sesshoumaru had taken her back home, helped her change, and went to find Miss Higurashi. He told her she was at the house and she hugged him, thanking him for safely returning her daughter. "Something is wrong Miss Higurashi." He says, not knowing how to tell her. "What do you mean? Was she hurt?" She asks frantically, trying to run to the house. "I do not know what is happening, but she thrashed and screamed when I found her. She was in the park, laying in the grass." "Let's go then, I have to find out." Miss Higurashi yells. Running down the street towards the house.

She had immediately gone upstairs and slammed Kagome's door open and then shut, warning Sesshoumaru not to go in, so he sat outside her door, listening to what was being said.

"Kagome. What happened?" She asked softly, taking her little girl into her arms and rocking her back and forth. Just then, something inside Kagome snapped and she just started crying uncontrollably. "Mama!" She said, clinging to the safety of her Mother. "What happened baby?" "I-I. . . They. . ." "Come on, you can tell me anything." "They hurt me." She says, not knowing what else she can handle saying. "How?" "Well, you know when Sesshoumaru and I were in here. . . A-and. . . You thought we were doing. . . Something we weren't?" She asks, knowing her Mother remembered it well. "Oh, my poor baby!" She says, crying along with her daughter.

Just then, Sesshoumaru had entered the room, slamming the door open, nearly putting his fist through the wall. "Who was it?" He asked dangerously. "Those guys from the store." She spits out, hating any breathing male at the moment. "I will be back." He says, spinning around and running down the stairs. He was till wearing Kagome's Fathers clothes, so he didn't have to change and he didn't necessarily always need his swords to kill someone. "Sesshoumaru! Don't hurt them!" Kagome yelled from the room, but he was already out the door, tracking them down.

When he had returned later, he was still fuming. "Kagome." He spoke shortly, looking her way. "Yes?" She asked, trembling in her bed, still afraid of anyone that could possibly hurt her that way again. "They are taken care of, you will not have them doing any such crimes towards you again." He tells her, walking closer to her. She was now visibly shaking and he didn't want to overdo it, but he needed to be around her. He sat on her bed and laid down next to her sitting form. She had then laid down next to him, trying not to make him think she didn't want him there anymore. She knew she did, but her protective instincts wanted any male away from her at the moment.

They had just laid there, she was now sleeping, obviously dreaming of the previous night because she was crying. Later, she had woken up to Sesshoumaru staring at her. She had slide away from him a little, but he had moved her back. He had gotten cold because of the space that had then formed between them. He kissed her, not roughly, not passionately, but lovingly, telling her that he was there for her. "Kagome, do not worry. I will never let another male touch you for the rest of our lives." He tells her, stroking the back of her head.

Long after Kagome was asleep, Sesshoumaru went and talked to Miss Higurashi. "Hello Sesshoumaru." She says, watching him as he enters the kitchen. "Hello Miss Higurashi." "You know, Kagome's birthday is in two days and I don't even know what I am going to do." "I could help if you require my assistance." He replies, wanting to make the most of the day for Kagome. "Really? Excellent. I need you to come to the store with me, and then we should go to Kagome's friends houses. Oh, there's just too much to do." She tells him, feeling like a failure already. "There is always enough time to do what is needed." "All right." She starts, sighing. "Let's get to the store then." "Will Kagome be able to stay home herself?" He asks, not wanting anyone unexpected to come in. "Yeah, she'll be fine. Grandpa is here, so he'll make sure she is okay."

The two walked to the store, picking up all sorts of things. They had balloons, cake mix, candles, icing, ribbon, banners, and a card. After buying everything, Miss Higurashi decided to go to the mall to get Kagome a gift. Sesshoumaru wasn't too sure how all of these things played a role in a birthday, but he was more then willing to do what it took to see her smile. Passing a diamond store, something caught Sesshoumaru's eye. It was a silver band that had a deep blue sapphire set into it. He was instantly reminded of Kagome. "What are you looking at Sesshoumaru?" "This." He says simply, pointing to the tiny ring.

"Would you like to get it for Kagome?" She asks him, knowing that Kagome would love it. "No, it looks quite expensive." "I don't mind paying for it. Let's go see what size they have it in." "Are you positive you want to do that?" "Of course, come on!" She yells, already inside the store, talking to a salesman. "We have a size seven Miss Higurashi." The salesman spoke, looking at the pair of people in front of him. "Oh! That's perfect Sesshoumaru." "Whatever you want." He replied, only interested in getting everything together for the birthday. "Is this your fiancé Miss Higurashi?" Just then, Sesshoumaru looked at the salesman like he was crazy. "Heavens no! He's my daughters." "Kagome, getting married already?" "Not for a while, but it's her birthday in two days, so that's her gift."

"All right, here you go, have a wonderful day." The salesman said to the two, as they retreated out of the store. Sesshoumaru took the ring out of the small box in the bag and inspected it. "Tell her it's a promise ring." Miss Higurashi tells him, on the verge of crying. Her little girl was growing up and falling in love, not a teenage love this time, it was the real thing. "What is the concept of this promise ring?" Sesshoumaru asks, wanting to know why he was saying this. "It's a promise for the future." "What about the future?" "It's saying that you'll always stay with her and that you'll never leave her. She'll really love it Sesshoumaru, don't worry." She explains. "Oh, thank you. I am not worrying, just. . . Anticipating." He answers. He didn't want her to know that he really was excruciatingly nervous, of course, he had a hard time just admitting this to himself. "Okay, let's go tell her friends now."

The two had gone to all of Kagome's friends houses, told them that they were having a party, talked to their parents, and invited them. They were now headed home. When Sesshoumaru and Miss Higurashi entered, Kagome was pacing in the front room and she jumped when she heard the door shut. Sesshoumaru had ran to the kitchen and put everything away, not letting Kagome see anything and he was back before she even got to the front door. "Where have you both been? I woke up and you were both just gone!" She yelled, worried that something had happened. "We were just out for a moment, do not worry." Sesshoumaru spoke, walking to her and embracing her slender body.

Later into the night, Sesshoumaru and Kagome had retreated to her bedroom. Sesshoumaru was getting ready to sleep sitting against her wall and she looked at him weird. "Sesshoumaru, why are you over there?" She asks, tilting her head to the side and raising an eyebrow. "I am letting you sleep freely on your bed." "It's all right, come and sleep on here." She says, walking over to him. He had gotten up and laid on his side in the bed. She was looking up into his golden eyes and he was looking into her sapphire ones. He was reminded to the ring and he wanted to tell her so much, but Miss Higurashi said to wait until her birthday. "Good night Sesshoumaru." Kagome says, kissing his cheek. He kissed her back, except his was more romantic and not on her cheek. When he had pulled away, he looked at her as a blush spread across her face. "You do not have to blush. Good night Kagome." Sesshoumaru says, closing his eyes and drifting to sleep.

The next morning, Kagome decided to go out with some friends. Sesshoumaru wanted to go and make sure she was all right, but Miss Higurashi told her that she was with good people and that there was work to be done in the kitchen. The two spent the entire day, trying to set everything up. She had taught Sesshoumaru how to blow up balloons. He hadn't gotten too used to it and he was very out of breath by the time he was done. He fell back onto the floor and panted heavily. Next, they had to make the cake. "Two cups of milk, two eggs, water." Miss Higurashi says, reading the directions. Sesshoumaru had her put in the ingredients in and he stirred it. Although, by the time he was done, he was covered in cake. There was fortunately still enough to make the cake. Not wanting him to do anything else to himself, she put it in the oven and told him not to move.

She grabbed a camera and took a picture of him covered in dough and then helped him clean it off. All the decorations were hidden in her room, waiting until Kagome went to bed that night. Her friends were arriving early so that when she woke up, she would have her party right then.

Kagome arrived home later then expected. Sesshoumaru was fidgeting nervously, hoping nothing terrible happened to her. When she stepped inside, Sesshoumaru was instantly at the door, smelling her, looking her over, everything. "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" "I am making sure you are unharmed." He says, helping her up the stairs and into her room. She yawned at least five times on her way up there. "Go to bed Kagome. I will be in shortly." He told her, pulling the blankets over her and turning off the light. He shut the door and went to tell her Mother that she was in bed, sleeping.

After all the directions were finished, Sesshoumaru and Miss Higurashi tiredly walked up the stairs and went to their separate rooms. In the morning, Sesshoumaru had looked through Kagome's clothing and picked out a knee length black skirt that had flared out at the bottom and a matching black spaghetti strap shirt and put it on the bed next to her. He had waited outside the house, opening the door for her friends and telling them to keep it quiet.

When Kagome woke up, she looked beside her, expecting a youkai lord, but found clothing. He set out clothing for me? Maybe he wants me to look nicer for him. How rude. She thought, her mind criticizing him for trying to indirectly tell her she had to dress nicer. She threw on the clothes and went to scold Sesshoumaru. She walked down the stairs angrily, but then she saw all her friends, her Mother, and Sesshoumaru. He had walked over to her and took her hand, helping her down the last six steps.

"Did you and Mom do this all for me?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru. "Yes, we thought you would want to have a nice birthday." Sesshoumaru explained. "Time for presents!" One of Kagome's friends squealed. Kagome and Sesshoumaru walked over to the couch and placed themselves on it. She had received many things. Among them were cards, necklaces, money, clothing, and other things. Hojo had gotten her something healthy and she wasn't sure what it was or what it did, but she said thank you anyways.

Sesshoumaru then pulled out the tiny box. Everyone had been watching and their eyes widened as they saw the velveteen box. Kagome looked at him and she saw the box as well. He handed it to her and she opened it, thinking it was only earrings or something. She gasped as she saw a large blue sapphire sitting on a silver band, peering up at her, sparkling for its new owner. "Sesshoumaru, I cant accept this, I'm sure you do not even know what it means." "Of course I do. It is meant as a promise ring, a promise for the future. I will always be with you Kagome, always by your side." He says, seeing her face light up in excitement. "It's so beautiful!" She said happily, leaping into Sesshoumaru's arms, knocking him over. She was now on top of him, raining kisses on his face in front of everyone.

To her friends, it was apparent that Hojo wanted to kill Sesshoumaru. That stupid silver haired idiot. He got the chance to give her a ring before I did. Those thoughts were in his head the entire time, but he appeared happy to Kagome. Sesshoumaru knew he was angry, he could smell it, but he didn't want to ruin anything. Hojo was angry beyond comprehension and he planned on doing something about it.

Later on, after cake, partying, and all the other fun things they did, Hojo wanted to speak to Sesshoumaru privately. They walked outside and Hojo unexpectedly pushed the youkai against the side of the house. "Take back that ring." "Why would I do a thing like that?" Sesshoumaru asked, knowing exactly how to push the boys buttons. "Because, Kagome is mine." "I do believe I was the one she was all over because they gave her a ring. You were just too slow, Kagome will be mine." Sesshoumaru taunted. "If you touch her again, I'll kill you, you bastard." Hojo said, getting ready to beat Sesshoumaru any way he could. Sesshoumaru had already been walking back to the house, but as soon as those words left Hojo's lips, he spun around and glowered at the teenage boy. "What did you say?" Sesshoumaru asked dangerously. "You heard me." Sesshoumaru then ran, trying not to look suspicious and picked Hojo up by the neck. Hojo had been kicking and screaming, but he did not weaken the youkai.

"If you ever decide to threaten me in such ways again, make sure you can do it to begin with. Also, if I ever, EVER, hear you spout that name to me again, I will kill you before you can blink." Sesshoumaru said, choking Hojo, almost crushing his windpipes. Just then, Kagome had ran outside, her friends by her side. "Sesshoumaru! Let him go!" She yelled, running over and trying to pry him away. "Kagome, control this baka!" Hojo spat at her. "No one controls this Sesshoumaru." "Sesshoumaru, please, let him go." Kagome pleaded, trying not to cry in front of everybody.

Smelling the beginning of tears, Sesshoumaru threw the teenager aside and walked towards Kagome. He wrapped himself in her arms, her scent, her very being. "Kagome!" Her friends all yelled, telling her to step away from Sesshoumaru. She didn't listen, she stayed firmly by his side, her arms wrapped around him, trying to comfort him. When he let go, he walked by all her friends, into the house, without even a spare glance to any of them. "I think it would be best if you all left. Thank you for everything." Kagome said, walking into her house and shutting the door.

She walked to her room and saw Sesshoumaru standing outside on her balcony, watching her guests retreat, talking about what they had just witnessed. "Sesshoumaru." "What?" He asked, not wanting to talk about it. "What did Hojo say to you to make you angry?" "He said he was going to take you from me, then he called me a bastard." He explained, keeping his emotions bottled inside him. "Well, he isn't going to take me, because he's been trying to have me the past three years and hadn't gotten me. Don't let him bother you about the name Sesshoumaru." Kagome told him, walking outside and standing next to him. "That is the thing though, it is true. I never truly knew my Father and now I am plagued with the image of him that is burned into my memory." Sesshoumaru said, looking out onto the shrine. "Sesshoumaru, it's not your fault. Don't let it get to you, you know you can fight it." "No, I can not. I can not fight my Father, I am too respectful of him, despite the terribly wrong choices he made in his life." Kagome couldn't respond to that, she didn't know what she was supposed to say to him, so she just leaned into him.

The two were laying in the bed, Kagome was resting on top of Sesshoumaru, her head listening to his solid heartbeat, letting herself drift to sleep. Sesshoumaru followed shortly after, but his dreams were much more unpleasant then hers. His were of his childhood, his Father.

Kagome had woken up and thought about various things while she waited for Sesshoumaru to wake up. She thought about Inuyasha and Kikyo and then she said aloud, "I am not Kikyo, I am Kagome." She had felt a lot better since her birthday, she figured it was because of Sesshoumaru's gift. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Sesshoumaru hadn't said anything to Kagome about being bored in her time because he didn't want to upset her, but man did he want to get back home. He hadn't checked to make sure Rin was fine, or Jaken, but he didn't really matter.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru were sitting on her bed, watching a movie that he wasn't interested in. Kagome seemed to be pretty bored as well. "We should go out somewhere." Kagome states, turning off the movie and jumping off the bed. "Where would we go at this time of night?" Sesshoumaru asks, looking outside and noticing it was getting late. "I know exactly where we're going." She says excitedly, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the stairs.

"Mom!" Kagome yells. "Yes dear?" "I need some money." "Why?" Miss Higurashi asks, wanting to know why it was so urgent. Kagome walked to her Mother and whispered something in her ear. "Oh! Really! He'll love that!" Miss Higurashi squeals handing over enough money. "Have a fun time Kagome, Sesshoumaru." She says, walking back into the kitchen to finish her tea.

The two walked hurriedly to the mall. "You wanted to come here?" Sesshoumaru asks, wondering why she loved to shop so much. "No, but we need some things for where we're going." She informs him, running into a woman's clothing store. She picked out a leather miniskirt and a black halter top. After trying it on and buying it, they ran to a different store.

There, Kagome grabbed leather pants that looked just like her skirt, except for the fact that they were pants. She then grabbed a black leather t-shirt. Buying them, the two went to the restrooms to change.

Kagome stepped out, feeling kind of like a whore, but she just remembered she had forgotten one thing, shoes. She waited for Sesshoumaru and eventually he came out. Instead of telling him to move along, the two just stared at each other. She snapped out of it first and started to leave. As he watched her retreating form, he realized he was being left alone and ran after her.

After buying her shoes, which were high heels and quite comfortable for their reputation, she and Sesshoumaru went out to her car and went downtown. Kagome stopped a couple of blocks from their destination and the two walked the rest of the way. The two stood in a line and eventually got into the building.

When Sesshoumaru stepped inside he had almost gasped. He had never seen a building such as this. It was dark and lights were flashing everywhere. There was live music, drinks, food, and many teenagers out on the floor dancing. "Kagome, what is this place?" He asked, looking around at all the people. "It's called a club." "And what do we do at this club?" "We dance!" She yells, pulling him onto the floor. "Kagome, I do not partake in dancing." "Oh come on, just for tonight." "I would love to, but I can not dance for I have never done such a thing." He explains, stepping back out of the crowd. "I'll teach you." "Is there a way one can learn this dancing. The humans out there seem to know the meanings of this." Sesshoumaru says, not being fond of making a fool of himself.

"You stay here, I'll find someone to dance with and you can watch, then you'll get the main idea." Kagome tells him, walking away and instantly finding some random guy to dance with her. She danced with him until the song was over and went back to Sesshoumaru. "See how easy it is?" She asks when she gets to him. "Yes, I do believe I can try now." He tells her, letting her drag him into the crowd.

The two danced, just as Kagome and the other guy had. Feeling more into the song then she realized, she turned around and grinded against him. He suddenly stopped. "Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" "What were you doing?" He asks, taking her aside. "Sorry, I know you probably weren't expecting that." She tells him, apologizing for her mistake. "Quiet." He snaps, scaring Kagome.

He leaned down and kissed her passionately, letting everyone see that Kagome was his, no one else's. Just then, the guy from before came to dance with Kagome then. She turned around and the guy tried to take her onto the dance floor. "What are you doing?" Kagome asked, holding onto Sesshoumaru. "We're dancing again, get away from him." He says, trying to pull her harder. "You are not taking her anywhere." Sesshoumaru cut in, glaring at the teenager. "You don't even know who she is, get away from her." "I know exactly who she is, she is mine, back the hell off." Sesshoumaru says, not wanting everyone to notice, especially because Kagome had just randomly decided to get over her fear of public places.

"She's coming with me, you're just saying that for a quick lay." The guy says, still held onto Kagome. She pulled away and curled into Sesshoumaru, hiding her face. "C'mon babe. You don't need him." "I told you to back the hell off. I do not look for a quick lay in women you bastard. I suggest that you and your drunk friends take some whores home to make you happy." Sesshoumaru replies, stating to get heated. "You want us to leave, let's take it outside." Just then, Kagome looks up quickly. "Don't go!" "No, if this young man wants to take this argument outside, I will gladly do so, there is no point in making a scene here." Sesshoumaru says, walking out with Kagome attached to his side.

Before the guys got outside, Kagome looked at him seriously. "Sesshoumaru, they're all going to take you on, they want to fight!" She yells, trying to get him to hop in her car and take off. "I know this. I will fight them." Sesshoumaru simply says. "You can't use your weapons or your youkai powers, you can only use street fighting." She informs him. "I know this as well. I do not have my swords, which that young man is lucky for, and I know I can not let a soul know about my powers. Stand back Kagome, if he wants to fight over you, he will get a fight." Sesshoumaru tells her, walking her to a safe place. She gave him a hug, still begging him not to go, not to fight them.

"We can still leave." She says desperately, trying to get him to listen. "NO!" He tells her strictly. "I will do anything for you and this is what is presented, stay here!" He yells, leaning against the wall. The guy came out, five friends by his side, ready to fight whoever they were told to. Sesshoumaru stood up strait and walked to the car. "Too afraid to fight?" The guy yelled. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but kept walking. He then went into the nearby park, leaving Kagome with the guys. "So, I guess you're coming with us." He said, pulling Kagome into him. "Hojo?" She asked, staring in disbelief that it was him.

"You just now noticed this?" He asks, looking into her face. "We were in the dark." "What are you doing with that random guy, did your precious Sesshoumaru leave you?" "No, that was him." "Oh." Hojo says, pulling her over to his friends. "Is he afraid to fight me or something?" Hojo asks, looking to where he disappeared. Just after he said that, Sesshoumaru came back out, dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt that were in the trunk of Kagome's car. After dropping his others into her car, he walked back over. "Excuse me for leaving Kagome, I needed something more comfortable." Sesshoumaru says smoothly.

They all walked into the park, which was unusually well lit. Kagome kept trying to get him to turn around, but he said nothing and kept walking. They all got into a cement circle, designed for a statue that was never built. Sesshoumaru and Hojo got into the middle, his friends holding Kagome couldn't run to help him or get anything from her car. "Ready?" Hojo asks, seeing Sesshoumaru's relaxed face. "The question is, Hojo, are you ready?" Sesshoumaru asks, his eyebrow raising when he sees Hojo thinking about it. "Hell yeah I am! I'm winning you back Kagome!" He yells to her, her friends getting kicked and screamed at to let her go.

Kagome thought this was just like the night the guys had taken her to the park on her walk, but Sesshoumaru wasn't there to protect her that time. She wouldn't let anything happen to her again, nor would anyone hurt Sesshoumaru. Eventually, her friends got tired of being beaten by a girl and simply told her to sit down and shut up. Sesshoumaru glared at them, but now was not the time to go after them, now was the time to take away the threat in front of him.

Hojo ran at him, trying to hit him. Sesshoumaru stepped to the side, letting Hojo fall to the ground when he lost balance. The boy just got up and tried again, but got the same results. "You can not win against me." Sesshoumaru says, not letting Hojo near him, as well as making sure the other five males weren't hurting Kagome. Sesshoumaru eventually got tired of dodging and decided to go against Kagome's wishes. He used his youkai powers, helping him weave forward and behind Hojo, then in front of him again, confusing the boy and all of his friends.

Hojo's eyes went wide and Sesshoumaru punched up into his stomach. He fell to the ground, laying back, trying to get the strength to get up, his eyes always on the youkai. Sesshoumaru stared back at him, listening for any sign of him or his friends doing anything. Hojo tried to gain the upper hand and swing his leg and Sesshoumaru. Not getting the results Hojo hoped for, Sesshoumaru jumped over the expected leg and stepped back once he landed. Hojo suddenly sprang to life, only to get the same fist, lodged into his jaw. He flew back again and landed in the grass.

After getting up a few more times, Hojo ended up unconscious with a bloody lip, broken jaw, broken ribs, bruised chest, a black eye, and a very injured stomach. Sesshoumaru had stood in the middle of the cement, looking down at the teenager, wanting to kill him, knowing he cant. Kagome had run up to him when he wasn't paying attention and hugged him. He had responded by hugging her back, but he didn't know he was doing it, all he knew was that he wanted to kill, or severely injure, worse then he had Hojo, anyone who hurt or talked in an unjust way to Kagome.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome cries out, not wanting to let him go again. "Kagome." He says softly, taking her hand. "Let us go home Kagome, you need not see this." He says to her, leading her away from the scene, knowing Hojo's friends will know what to do with him. Sesshoumaru took Kagome to her car and settled her into the passenger seat. "Sesshoumaru, you don't know how to drive." Kagome says, opening the door to get out. "Yes, your Mother taught me how." He informs her, getting into the drivers seat and starting the car.

He had gotten the two home safely and brought Kagome to her room. Afterwards, Sesshoumaru told her Mother about what happened and joined her in bed. He hadn't wanted to wake her, he thought she was sleeping, so he gently slid into the bed. "Sesshoumaru." She says, moving to give him more room. "Yes?" He asks. "Why did you do that for me?" "Did I wake you?" He asks, avoiding her question, not wanting to admit anything to anyone, not even himself. "No, I was still awake, please answer my question." "I heard no question." He says, getting out of the bed and leaving the room.

That night, Sesshoumaru had lain on the couch, thinking about the actual answer to the question he did hear come from her mouth. He didn't know what to think anymore, he didn't know why he had done that for her.

Why? I could get in trouble for hurting Hojo like that, yet I did it for her anyways. Why did I care? It is not like I love her, that, I am most sure of, is completely impossible. Then why did you want to buy her that ring the moment you saw it? A voice in the back of his head asked, making him think more. Because I thought she would like it and I wanted to help her. She had just undergone a horrifying event. Then why did you like it when she got excited that you knew what it meant, why did you promise her that you would always be there? Because, I will always be there, just not how she wants me to be. I can not fall in love, much less with a human. I can not follow my Fathers path, I can not become him and die for a human who carries my child. You know that you want to let her into your heart, just let her in, let her be your mate. That is one thing this Sesshoumaru will never do in his life. I can not possibly mate with a human woman. Then why have you tried? I did not mean to, it will not happen again. If you don't like her, why'd you like it so much when she grinded against you earlier? Would any male not like that? I simply let myself go before I could control it. If you says so. I do. Have it your way, you're just hurting her more every day that you do not tell her your true feelings, every day that you continue to believe you do not have some feeling towards her. I have no feelings for her. That was when the voice had left him, let him think to himself, whether it was there anymore or not, he did not know, but he knew he had a lot of thinking to do.

He hadn't gotten any sleep, he hadn't been tired. He just thought all night and still hadn't known what do in the morning. Kagome went downstairs and saw him on the couch. She let him sit in his mind, let him think about whatever it was he thought about. Kagome walked into the kitchen, made tea, ate breakfast and then went back into the living room, only to see Sesshoumaru sitting in the same position, it looked as if he had been that way all night, just laying there. She sat down in a chair across from him and stared at him, waiting for him to get out of his trance.

Why did he even bother last night? It's not like he loves me, he could've gotten in trouble with the police. Admit it, you know you want him to love you, you want him to stay with you forever. No, I just want to be his friend. He probably just felt bad for me because of what happened a couple of weeks ago. Then why did he give you that ring? He said he knew what it meant, hell he even explained it to you. It was just a friendly thing to do, he just said he would be by me, not that he would love me. But you want him to love you. I don't need him. He's just another Inuyasha and another Hojo, someone that will always turn to someone else and expect me to be there when he comes back. You know Sesshoumaru isn't like that. He'll just end up like that, it happens to every guy I fall for, or even get closed to. Give it a chance, talk to him. Fine, but I'm not promising anything. Fine with me.

Kagome couldn't believe she just had a conversation with her conscious. It had never scolded her so badly before and it was obvious what it wanted, Sesshoumaru. She decided to sit there and wait until he stopped thinking and could talk to her. Kagome waited and waited, looking at the clock every so often. It had changed from 10:00 to 11:47, then to 1:32. It soon made its way to 3:16 and that's when she had gotten tired of waiting. Kagome jumped up and walked over to where he was still laying. She poked him with her finger and he didn't move. She poked him with a stick she ran out and found under one of the trees in her back yard, she poured water on him, she tried everything she could to wake him up, expect maybe one thing.

Kagome bent down and softly kissed him. When she moved back, she realized it finally worked, he was coming out of his mind to see who was in his presence. Sesshoumaru stared up at her and blinked. He took in his surroundings, not remembering where he had left his body many hours ago. "'Bout time you came around!" She says, grabbing his attention again. "I never left here." "Your mind seemed to have left a long time ago." "Ah, indeed, you have a good eye. I was processing my thoughts, I did not mean to take so long." He apologized, sitting up and moving around the house, trying to find a place to do something. "Question, why am I wet?" Sesshoumaru suddenly asks, turning to the teenager behind him. "Well, I was trying to get you to come back and it seemed like a logical thing to do at the time." Kagome explained, putting on the best innocent act she could. It seemed to have worked when he told her they were going to sit outside so he could dry.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru sat on a hill outside the shrine grounds, just staring at the city that was a few miles away. "Sesshoumaru." "Yes?" "When are you going back?" She asks, not sure what she wanted to hear from him at the moment. "I suppose I will not leave until I am told. Unless, you happen to go back through the well before then, I will follow." He tells her, looking into the sky. "You're going to stay with me? What about Rin, Jaken, your home?" "I will stay. Jaken will take care of Rin and nothing shall befall my lands." "Oh, well, I'm glad you're staying then." "You do not want me to leave?" "Of course not!" She snaps, looking at him like he was crazy. "Kagome, I do believe we should converse." "About what?" "Anything you wish." He says, basically telling her to start their conversation. "All right."

"I actually have a question." "What would it be?" "Why do you want to stay here? Why did you give me that ring? Why did you make promises to me? Why do you always say that I'm yours? Why do you defend me? Why can't I let you go?" She asks, her last question said in a whisper, trying to avoid that topic all together. "That was more then a question, that was about six." "Sorry." "It is not a problem, I shall answer to my capability." He tells her, trying to sort out all the different answers. "I wish to stay here because I have no other place to be. I gave you that ring, well, I suppose just because I knew you would love it. Your Mother told me what it meant and I knew I could assume the responsibility of staying with you. I make promises to you because I simply can. I say that you are mine to help you, I do not know if there is a benefit for me, it just seems right at the time. I defend you because that is what friends do. As for the last question, you will have to answer that one to me, I did not know you could not let me go." He replies to her, looking at her face.

Kagome thought he was just looking for her answer, but he was looking into the depths of her very thoughts, trying to seek the answers to his own questions. She locked herself from people for what seemed like forever, she didn't know why she should start letting people see her emotions now. "I. . ." "You?" "Never mind!" She yells, getting up and trying to run away. Sesshoumaru knew what she was doing, she was running away from her problems, trying to forget them, but he wasn't about to let her do that. He jumped up after her and grabbed her, holding her to him, his hands firmly around her waist. "Why must you always run?" He asks, sitting down, the girl falling into his lap. "There's nothing else to do but run." "You are lying to me." "I don't lie." She says, the only lies she ever told being to her friends that lived in her time. "That in itself is a lie." "No it isn't!" She yells, trying to fruitlessly escape from his grasp. "Indeed it is. You say there is nothing else to do but run." "That's entirely true." She tells him. He just shook his head, almost giving up and letting her run to wherever she wanted to go.

Just then, that damnable conscious of his came back to him, telling him everything he didn't want to hear. You know you don't want to let her go, you want her to sit with you forever. That is not true. All you are doing is making me think about things that have no significance, you are spinning my mind into meaningless crazes. You're the one talking to your conscious, I think you should ask yourself about your own mental stability. Shut up! Oh, now the big and bad Sesshoumaru comes out! Anything else you need to say to me? You know you want to yell at your own conscious, which, by the way, is telling you the truth. You are telling me nonsense. That's what you want to believe. I tell the truth, you just choose not to believe it. That is entirely untruthful. I would not ignore the truth if it was in front of me. If the truth were a snake, it would have bit you in the ass, you bitter idiot!

After having a spout with his conscious, he decided that he would keep her with him, for the sake of his sanity blowing up in front of his very eyes. Kagome had settled down a bit, but she still thought she was right, and she would continue to think that way until she was proven wrong. "If you're calling me a liar then you better have a damn good reason." She tells him, turning in her seat to look at the man who was keeping her to himself. "Do I not always have an excellent reason for the words I choose to speak?" "No, not always." She says, crossing her arms and huffing loudly. "If that is what you think, so be it. I do, however, have a good reason to call you a liar." "What would that be?" She asks, not angry anymore, but rather intrigued to what he had to say. "You do not have to run from your problems. You must learn to face them and beat them." He explains, standing up and walking away from Kagome.

"Then what are you doing now?" She asks, almost wanting to retract her words. He suddenly stopped in his very tracks and went rigid. A pang shot through his heart, but he wouldn't let it stop him. "I am not running from my problems, I am walking towards them." He tells her, turning around and hiding the hurt she had caused him. 

Since when have I let a woman, human no less, get through the wall I have so carefully built over the years? Since you started loving this certain human woman. I will tell you again, I do not love her, I simply do not mind her company. You don't mind her whiny, controlling, aggravating company. It is not whiny, controlling, or aggravating. Not to you because you want it near you. Leave me alone. If I want her by my side, then I shall make it that way and I will go visit the wolf prince.

Sesshoumaru hadn't wasted any time finishing the argument with his conscious, nor had he finished the argument with Kagome. He had walked to her house and went in. "Miss Higurashi?" He calls out, not having the patience to find her himself. "Yes Sesshoumaru?" "I am going back. Tell Kagome I will be here as soon as possible." He informs her, watching as the shorter woman came to bid her goodbyes. She hugs him slightly, not knowing whether that was acceptable. "Would you mind telling me why you are going back?" "It is no problem at all. I am visiting the wolf prince." He says before walking out the door and traveling through the well.

When Kagome had rushed home after Sesshoumaru, she had worried that he would no longer be there. As soon as she stepped into the house, her Mother confirmed her suspicions. "Sesshoumaru left!" "Yes, didn't he tell you?" "No! Did he tell you why he was leaving?" Kagome asks, frantically thinking of a reason why he would leave. "Well, let me see. He said he was going to visit some prince." "What kind of prince?" "I believe he said a wolf prince. Do you know who this is Kagome?" Her Mother asks, staring at her daughter as realization hits her square in the face. "Kouga!" Kagome yells, running up to her room.

Kagome slipped on a black dress, cut to her knees and without a back, pulled her shoes on, and ran back downstairs. "Are you going after him?" "Yes! I'll be back as soon as I can be!" Kagome yells, opening the door and running to the well house. She jumped down and swam through the ocean of blue that collided with her every time she had gone through the well. When she got to her destination, she saw silvery hair waving over the well. Kagome climbed out and looked around for it. She had expected Sesshoumaru, but this time, she didn't get what she expected.

"Inuyasha?" She asks as the hanyou spun around stared at her. "What are you doing here Kagome?" "I am here to see someone." She states simply, walking away from him like they were never close friends. "Who?" "None of your business." "What are you talking about, we're friends." "Stop living in the past Inuyasha, you're with Kikyo, not me." She says as she runs off. Inuyasha had been following her for the longest time before she decided to stop and interrogate him. "Stop following me!" "No, I want to see who you are visiting." "I don't have the time for your silly games! I'm trying to save someone's life here Inuyasha!" She yells, trying to get him off her back.

"Whose life is worth saving?" "Definitely not yours." She says as he jumps down from the trees he had been traveling amongst. "Kagome, let me back in, please." "Whatever. Take me to Kouga's den!" She yells, trying to get there as fast as she could. "Kouga?" "Yes, I'll do anything, just get me there." "Fine, get on." He tells her as he lowers himself to give her a ride. Kagome had forgotten about what she was trying to do. She had caught herself in the past, laying on Inuyasha's shoulder as if he would be hers forever. She had tried not to let herself slip, she had tried not to envy Kikyo, but that's the only thing she could do at the moment. She had taken in his scent, she had lost herself in the pools of his silver strands, she had lost herself in the golden eyes she loved long ago.

Suddenly, the hanyou's voice came out of nowhere. "We're here Kagome." "Already?" "Yeah, what did you expect?" "I don't know. Wait here, I have to see if Kouga had gone anywhere." She says, jumping off his back and running into the cave. "Hey Kagome!" Hakkaku yells, gathering all sorts of attention to her. "Hey Hakkaku, everyone else." She says cheerily. "What are you doing here when Kouga went somewhere else?" "Where is he?" She asks urgently. "Whoa! You want to see him that badly?" Ginta asks, a smirk on his face. "No! That's not it at all, well, of course I love to see Kouga, but that's not my reasoning this time. Where is he?" "He went down to the lake, he's bathing and waiting for you to return." "All right, thanks guys!" She yells, running outside and jumping on Inuyasha's back. "To the nearest lake Inuyasha!" She orders him, putting her arms around his neck and waiting for him to move.

When the two arrived, Sesshoumaru and Kouga were talking. "What are you talking about you stupid mutt!" "You know exactly what I am talking about, surely you are not as moronic as my younger sibling." Sesshoumaru tells him, leaning up against a tree on the other side of the clearing. Kagome and Inuyasha were well hidden for the time being, waiting for something to happen. "Why would I let you even think about having Kagome stay with you?" "I am the lord over your lands wolf, you will do what I order." "I don't care! Kagome was mine first!" Kouga yells at the short tempered youkai he was conversing with.

"Why are they fighting over you Kagome?" "It's not something you need to get wrapped up in too." "You have always been mine. I never wanted kikyo." He explains, trying desperately to get her back as well. "Spare me the innocent talk Inuyasha. We can talk about that later, but right now I have to make sure they don't kill each other." Kagome tells Inuyasha, shutting him up for the moment. Kagome stepped on a pile of sticks that was nearby and retracted her body as she saw Sesshoumaru and Kouga both look in her direction. "Shit, now we've got two pissed off youkai after us! Jump on Kagome, I'm getting you out of here!"

"Come out." Sesshoumaru spoke, before Kagome could even answer Inuyasha. Kagome's eyes widened and she went to move forwards to let the two youkai know who she was. "Kagome, don't go out there! They'll hurt you!" Inuyasha snaps, pulling her away from the clearing. "Inuyasha! Let me go!" She yells, snapping her arm away from him and running as fast as she could towards the very place she had dreaded. Before stepping into the clearing, she took a deep breath and tried to reason with herself. After realizing that wasn't going to happen, she balanced herself with a tree and walked into their view. "Kagome!" Kouga yells, running over to her, letting himself go, no matter who was watching. He grasped her in his hands and got down on his knees.

"Kagome, you're going to settle this! Who are you going to stay with, me or Sesshoumaru?" Kouga asks, his fears of being left forever now finally sinking in. "Hey! Don't forget me, stupid wolf!" Inuyasha yells, stepping into the clearing himself. "What are you doing here Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asks impatiently. "Hell if I know! Kagome got me to take her here for one reason or another." "Kagome, you trusted this filth?" Kouga asks, her hands still in his. She looked from Sesshoumaru to Kouga and then her eyes shifted to Inuyasha, who was looking absolutely heart broken that she hadn't immediately said she chose him.

"Who are you choosing?" Kouga asks, starting to get irritated. "None of you have the right to make me choose!" She yells, running away, running from her problems, just as Sesshoumaru had said she shouldn't do, but she didn't want to hear his words of reason right now, all she wanted to do was run.

That's exactly what she did. . . Run.

The miko didn't stop until she was left with no energy. She wasn't sure exactly where she was, but she had been running all day from the two youkai and the hanyou and she didn't sense any strong auras near her. Figuring she was mainly safe, she crawled towards a large rock that was able to hold her to sleep on for the night. She laid on it and passed out, not worried about the cold, other youkai she might get hurt by, nor was she worried about Naraku coming back and killing her.

In her sleep, she was dreaming strangely. There were colors everywhere and the scent of blood. Looking around, she looked for anything that she may notice or recognize. The girl reached out, hoping to stop right in the middle of this horrid disaster, hoping to rid herself of these thoughts, or whatever they were supposed to be.

In the actual world, three youkai and a hanyou watched on from where they were standing, not noticing that they were only feet away from each other. Kouga and Sesshoumaru were sure that Inuyasha would come, so they basically knew he was there somewhere. Kouga didn't know what to expect out of Sesshoumaru, but unlike Kouga, Sesshoumaru knew exactly what would happen. They were all unaware of the third youkai though. They had all just rushed over after they knew she was sleeping to watch over her.

The fourth youkai had been controlling the Kagome's dream from the beginning. He had been smirking at the fact that she had been thrashing around since she fell into her dream. She would learn not to fall asleep without some sort of protection, which he noticed, she had been doing quite frequently. He was waiting until the exact moment, when the three others were waiting for her to call one of them to her rescue, then he would get them all down at once.

Kagome wanted to call for someone, but there was no one around, she knew that no one would be able to hear her, no one could rescue her. At the end of the seemingly never ending colorful, yet absent, tunnel, she saw what she feared she would see again. She saw Naraku. He was standing there, his arm outstretched, waiting for her to grasp his grip so he could save her. She didn't want to trust him, but trust him she did. She began moving faster, just so she could have someone to rescue her away from all this.

While the youkai stared at her, they saw her arm reach out, trying to grasp something that wasn't there, not in reality at least. Her lips parted, trying to yell something, trying to speak out something. Eventually, her voice rang out, calling the one who was now her rescuer.

"Naraku!" She yells, causing the youkai to jump a bit. He had not been expecting her to yell it out so loudly, let alone so boldly and daringly. That was no longer the important thing though, the important thing was, she was in his grasp, he now controlled her.

Kagome was still holding closely to Naraku, she didn't know what she was to do, but she just figured she would find out eventually. Naraku held her in front of him, looking at the woman he had so desired for years on end. She was finally his and he would never let her go now. "Kagome, wake up." He tells her softly. The miko looked into his eyes, only to find something other then she would have long ago, she saw comfort and love. "Who is there?" She asks, not wanting to escape from this pseudo reality, not wanting to let go of someone who she had never known she could respect and trust.

"I will wait for you there, but you must come to me, I can not come to you." He explains, imprinting his whereabouts into her mind, searing her thoughts with him and only him. Everything else in her life slowly became irrelevant with the passing minutes she spent with Naraku. She was going to listen to him now, she would wake up and find him. "I will be there shortly." Kagome tells him. "Sayonara, Kagome." "Goodbye, Naraku." She replies, feeling his embrace once more and then waking herself to pursue her new interest.

Kagome's eyes snapped open, taking in the surroundings of the place she had rested, the place where she forgot many things, but was now slowly remembering them. She rubbed her head, noticing how uncomfortable a rock was without a pillow to go along with it. She stood up, her powers informing her of Inuyasha, Kouga, and even Sesshoumaru, who she noticed, was trying to mask his aura from her. She knew better then to call out to them, she knew better then to tell any of them who she would choose.

Instead of walking to each of them and making them aware of her knowing they are there, she decided to be tricky. "Inuyasha." She calls out, looking in his direction. The hanyou stepped back once and then came out into the clearing, knowing that he couldn't run away now. She walked over to him and slapped him clear across his face. "OW!" "That's what you get for spying on me!" She yells, looking into Kouga's direction. "Kouga, don't even think about hiding from me!" He too stepped out, expecting his punishment to be the same as Inuyasha's.

She would scold each of them differently and she would make them feel bad for watching her and expecting her to choose something as hard as what was presented. "How could you even think of sitting there and trying to make me choose you over everything else! I never thought you would try to be so demanding, you should really try better to get a girl, or you'll never have a mate!" She yells, not even touching him. This hit him harder then if she were to hit him though. It now felt like someone had ripped out his heart and tore it to shreds. He loved Kagome whole heartedly, and there she was, tearing his emotions into little, microscopic pieces. His tail wrapped in between his legs and his head bent down, shameful of his actions.

It was time for Sesshoumaru's punishment, but this one would be even worse then the other two, this one would bring down the almighty Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands.

Kagome started to walk away from the two guys, but then suddenly turned on her heel. "Oh, Sesshoumaru." She says, pointing out his exact location. He didn't want to face her, but he was a respectable youkai, and he was not about to loose to a miko. He glided out of the space he had been standing in, almost tempting her to leave with him and never think of anything else, but she had something she had to do. "You call for my presence?" He asks, walking closer to her then the others dared. "Yes." "What ever for? Certainly, I have done nothing to offend you miko." He states, getting close, trying to win her over once more. She was reacting strongly to his motions and everyone knew it.

Inuyasha and Kouga had been snarling at Kagome and Sesshoumaru's closeness, but neither would interrupt the moment, fearing for their lives. Kagome then pulled away from Sesshoumaru and stopped her reactions. She was going to win this one and she wouldn't give up until she should. "You!" She yells, pointing one of her fingers at him. "Is there something about me that angers you?" He asks, acting like the innocent one out of everyone. "Don't act so innocent, we all know you're not!" "Go Kagome!" Kouga yells, trying to make her come back to him. "Shut up!" She snaps, glaring at him without looking directly at him.

"You of all people should be ashamed of watching me! You know I hate when people watch me sleep, among other things. You also know that I hate having to choose between things. You have spent more time close to me then anyone else lately and yet you still continue to piss me off!" She yells, about to jump on him and strangle him to death. "I meant nothing by watching you and I am deeply sorry for making you choose. Please, accept my apologies." "I will, but I am still mad. I cant believe you all! You're acting worse then my brother, all of you! Kouga, you're supposed to be a leader of a wolf clan. Inuyasha, you were supposed to be a good friend, until Kikyo came. Sesshoumaru, you're a youkai lord! Above all else, you should be the responsible one! How can you even act like a child?"

Kouga and Inuyasha gasped, surprised that she was being so harsh towards them. Sesshoumaru wouldn't let it be known outwardly that he was upset, but he knew Kagome could tell, because he wasn't holding his eyes to no emotion, he had let Kagome see everything while his back was turned to the other two. "I'm leaving now. No, I'm not going home, so don't even look there! I'm going somewhere else and if anyone looks for me, I'm never going to speak with you again!" She snaps, feeling suddenly ashamed herself, knowing that she had hurt Sesshoumaru, the one who she was beginning to love and open up to.

She walked to the youkai and wrapped her delicate arms around him, embracing his muscular body. "Sorry." She whispers, not letting anyone else hear her. He nodded slightly and turned her head so that their noses were touching. Sesshoumaru leaned down slightly and placed a gentle kiss on her silky lips. Kagome had responded to it by pushing her body closer to him and grinding hardly. He wanted to continue this, but his younger half brother and the wolf prince were right behind him.

They were both unable to see anything that had been happening, but they were pretty sure they knew. The two were glaring daggers into the back of Sesshoumaru, wanting what he had in his arms right now. "Kagome, let us depart from here. I want to show you something." Sesshoumaru says, grasping her hand and daring her to follow his lead. "Sesshoumaru." "Yes?" "What do you want to show me?" She asks, looking into the eyes she had always adored more then Inuyasha, but never had the guts to tell anyone that. "I want to show you the world and all the glory it withholds." He tells her, pulling her slightly, silently speaking to follow and trust him. "Will you follow?" He asks, unsure of what she wants at this point. "I would go to the ends of the Earth, as long as I'm with you." She states, walking off with the youkai, leaving the others in the clearing where she had scolded them.

"Kagome." "Hm?" "Why do you pursue Naraku?" He asks, leaving Kagome taken aback. "I. . . Uh. . ." "Do not lie to me, tell me the truth within your heart. Who is it that you really want beside you?" He asks, stopping and staring into her chocolate eyes. "I want you Sesshoumaru." "You have not entirely answered the questions I have asked you to answer." "I cant." She replies simply, not knowing what she would even say. "Fair enough, answer when you desire."

A little later, Kagome and Sesshoumaru had been traveling, hand in hand, Kagome waiting for the world to be revealed to her, waiting to see the glory in which Sesshoumaru promised she would see. He had eventually stopped at a hill, covered in rich, green grass. "What are we doing here?" Kagome asks, not seeing a point in stopping in at a hill. "We are here." He tells her, sitting down and pulling Kagome down with him. "What's the point in being here?" "You will see. I made a promise and I shall fulfill it, whether it is this night, or on the night of a different moon." He explains, looking into the sky that was painted colorfully with blues, purples, pinks, oranges, and even greens.

Kagome had been thinking for a while. She didn't know whether she would go to Naraku, she wasn't sure if she would stay with Sesshoumaru. In either case, someone was going to be angry. "Sesshoumaru." "Yes?" "Naraku was in my dreams." She says, still looking into the sky, which was not sprinkled with millions of tiny stars. In response, Sesshoumaru just closed his eyes, not knowing whether he wanted to hear what was about to be told. "Go on." He says, his mouth betraying what his mind and heart wanted. "It was a seemingly never ending tunnel, there were colors swirling all around me." She starts, her mind vividly recapturing the images. "Then, Naraku appeared. He held his arms out and I grabbed onto him. He held me in his arms, telling me to trust him. I cant believe it, but I had at the moment. He told me he would be awaiting my return and told me where he would be."

"Ah, so will you be joining him?" Sesshoumaru asks, not knowing why he kept asking her things that he didn't want to hear. "I don't know. I don't want to, but I promised in my dream, I promised away my life." She tells him, tears slipping out of her eyes. Sesshoumaru moved around and sat with his legs around her, holding her comfortingly. "Do not cry." He states, wishing he could do something to help her. "I know I shouldn't, but what should I do Sesshoumaru?" "Whatever your heart desires." "It desires you, but that cant happen."

Sesshoumaru rested his chin on her shoulder, closing his eyes tightly. He wasn't trying to think or anything else, he was trying to escape reality. He knew she couldn't be with him and he knew she couldn't live with him for any well amount of time. "Why not?" "What do you mean?" She asks, a bit taken aback that he asked such a question. "Why cant it happen? Why can I not just be happy for once in my unfortunately long life?" He screams, acting like a little child. "Sesshoumaru, you know I would do something if I could."

"No, do nothing. I will do something about it." Sesshoumaru tells her, letting go of her momentarily. "What are you going to do?" She asks, not getting a response from the youkai. He moved in front of her and looked up into her eyes. He couldn't believe he was about to do what he was, but something inside him was raging. "Do you trust me Kagome?" He asks, holding onto her hands. "Of course." She replies, trying to move slightly, not sure of what she should do right now.

Without a second thought, Sesshoumaru moved closer to her, taking her clothes away from her body. "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" She asks, panicking, trying to not have another episode of what had happened months ago. "You said you would trust me." He says, running his tongue down her neck. Her body arched up, heated in the spontaneous moment of lust. Sesshoumaru quickly removed his clothes and entered her.

Kagome had moaned and slid with Sesshoumaru, not wanting this moment to end. With a final thrust, Sesshoumaru had spilt into the miko, carrying her with him into the clouds. Sesshoumaru bit down into her neck, but she hadn't screamed or even gasped. She had just held him close to her. He was finished, he had started courting her.

Hours later, the two were still under the stars, dressed, but still holding each other. Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru as he looked down at her and he started chuckling lightly. "What?" She asks, raising her eyebrow. "Nothing." "Oh, okay." She says, for the moment, settling with any answer he would give her. "Sesshoumaru?" "Yes?" "Why did you do that?" She asks, the question being on her mind for a while now. "Because." "Because why?" "Because I simply can."

"You know people will be mad, right?" "Of course." "And you don't care?" "No. They would have been mad no matter what course of action I took." He replies, not really wanting to explain. "But, wont they try and kill me or something?" She asks, fearing her life, but most of all, fearing that she would loose Sesshoumaru. "They will try." "Oh, that makes me feel so much better." "You asked so I spoke the truth." "You know we cant stop them from killing me." She tells him, trying to be braver then she actually was.

"Why do you constantly lie?" Sesshoumaru asks, getting tired of having to repeatedly assure her of things. "I didn't lie!" Kagome snaps, sitting up quickly, only to fall backwards from a head rush. Kagome laid there, holding her head and squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "You did." "Shut up!" "I will not." "You're lying to me!" "I do not lie." He tells her, getting a little frustrated from her accusations. "I know what this is all about!" "What is this about?" He asks. "You just wanted someone to sleep with, so you came to fragile little Kagome, the one who would trust you!" She yells, getting up and running off.

"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru yells, standing up, trying to find her, but only finding darkness. He tried to smell which way she went, but there was no way to, she was too powerful of a miko. She could even mask her scent from him. Sesshoumaru ran in the direction he saw her leave in and tried to find and hint of her. Eventually, he almost gave up and started to turn around. He was in the middle of some random forest, looking for someone who just accused him of taking advantage of her. He just courted a human and she blamed him for things that he hadn't even done!

Sesshoumaru yelled out her name over and over, trying to get an answer out of her, or someone who could tell him about Kagome's whereabouts. He sat down on a rock and pondered about it for a while. "What is the last thing she told me about?" He asks himself, resting his head on his hand, trying to think about it. Suddenly, his conscious came back, and what a better time to do so then now? She told you about Naraku. Of course, that was before she blamed you of using her and ran off, but that's the last thing I remember. Why do you always plague my mind? Because it's fun to watch you squirm in agony. I have never done such a thing. Now, get away, I'm trying to think about what Kagome last told me about! Naraku, baka! Why was I not informed of this from the get go? You were, that's the first thing I said! You just don't pay attention to me, not even when I'm helpful. You are annoying, of course I would not pay attention to you. Kagome's annoying, you listen to her. Hell, she ran away from you and you still pursue her. That is because. . . Oh, you have nothing to say now? Go away! You know, it's not like I ever leave, I just shut up sometimes. It is impossible for you to always be there. Nope. I am and I see everything you see. By the way, Kagome has a nice body, I can see why you would pick her. Damn you! I will slaughter you, no matter what the cost! Then you would be slaughtering yourself. FINE!

The conversation between them finally ended and Sesshoumaru was even angrier then he was previously. "What is it that he was saying?" Sesshoumaru asks himself. Naraku. That is right. I must find Naraku then. He's in the Western Mountain Range. He is in my land and I was not informed of this. Guess not. Sesshoumaru sighs to himself, wondering why he was so unlucky to be him. Now, he had to formulate his plan, and formulate he did.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Kouga were still standing where they were when Sesshoumaru and Kagome had left. The two were sitting on the large rock that Kagome was sleeping on hours ago. "So." "So." "Inuyasha, how do you think this all started?" Kouga asks, not able to move his eyes from the spot. "I don't know, but we have to get Sesshoumaru away from Kagome because he'll probably end up just hurting her." "Yeah, but then who will have her?" "One of us, I suppose." Inuyasha answers. "We need a plan." "Yeah, that would help." So, the two sat, formulating a plan of their own against Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

Kagome had been running for hours and she wasn't ready to give up yet. She found herself on the ground, whether she wanted to keep going or not, her body wasn't going to allow it. She looked into the sky and saw a small light, not a star, something else, but she wasn't able to figure out what it was. Soon, it was upon her and she gasped when she saw what appeared within the light. "Naraku." She says, standing up shakily, limping towards the youkai. Naraku walks from the orb of which he was traveling and takes hold of the miko. "I've been expecting you, Kagome." He tells her softly, picking her up gently and carrying her to the light. "Where have you been? I figured you would come strait to me." "I was on my way." She says, burying her head in his chest, not ready to reveal the facts of her evening. "I see."

Sesshoumaru had just finished his plan, now it was time to go through with it. He went back to the place he had found Kagome and saw that the hanyou and wolf prince were still there. "Inuyasha, Kouga." He states, making them jump from their spots. "Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha replies. "What are you doing here?" Kouga asks. "I have to something ask of you." "You're asking us for help?" "No." "Then we cant do what you're going to ask us to do." Kouga tells him as he turns back to Inuyasha. "Then I can no longer allow your pack of wolves to live." Sesshoumaru replies, turning around and getting ready to slay his companions. "Wait!" Kouga yells, standing up and running to Sesshoumaru. "What is it wolf?" "I'll do it! Just don't kill them, please!" He yells, now on his knees, begging and pleading for the others. "Fine, but don't expect me to recall my decision again." Sesshoumaru informs him, brushing past the wolf and standing in front of Inuyasha.

Naraku had set Kagome into her own room, letting her rest for now, as for him, he was in the hot springs, resting his body and mind from all that happened today. When he was ready to go and wake Kagome, she walked in. "What are you doing up?" Naraku asks, sitting back down in the water. "I could no longer sleep, so I came and found you." "Well, what do you wish to do now?" Naraku asks. Kagome took her clothes off and joined Naraku in the hot spring. Her head rested on his chest and she gently rubbed circles into his stomach. "That may not be the wisest of choices Kagome." "And why not?" She asks seductively. "Because, surely you do not want me to take you right here." "You only assume." "Really?" "Yes." She replies. Kagome had hinted that she no longer cared, so take her he did.

Inuyasha was waiting for Sesshoumaru to say something. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he saw his older sibling fall to the ground, unconscious. "We have to leave, now!" Kouga yells, grabbing Inuyasha's arm and dragging him a little ways. "No." "Why not!" "Because something caused my brother to fall unconscious, it's serious this time." Inuyasha explains. "You go, I'll watch him." "No, I'll stay Inuyasha, you just better be right." "I am." Inuyasha states as he walks to the youkai lord and sits by him. He turns Sesshoumaru on to his back so he can breathe better and starts to try and shake him awake. The two shook him and called his name, but he wasn't waking up. They finally decided they would just wait until he woke up on his own.

Screaming in ecstasy, Kagome called out Naraku's name. They were finished and Naraku was happy. He went to mark her, but he noticed another marking there, it was in the shape of a waning crescent, but whose marking was that. He scanned his brain, but nothing was coming up. Suddenly, he turned his head towards the ceiling. Someone was watching them and he didn't appreciate being watched while doing such private activities. He closed his eyes and tried to pry into the mind of the one who was watching. All he saw was the waning crescent. Well, that was a start, but he couldn't figure out who it was, perhaps they would come to him. "Naraku, what's wrong?" "You seem to already have someone who is courting you, who is it?" "No one." She tells him, standing up and dressing herself. "It is someone. I want to know who it is." Naraku tells her, trying not to sound angry. Kagome turns around and yells, "I said it's no one!" and walks out of the area. She went back to her room and decided that she had to leave.

Sesshoumaru suddenly awoke from his state and sat up quickly. "Kagome!" He yells, pulling his knees towards his face to shield his eyes from Inuyasha and Kouga. "Sesshoumaru, why are you acting this way?" Inuyasha asks, touching his shoulder to tell him he was there for his brother. "It is nothing, leave me be." He says, not lifting his head. Inuyasha sniffs the air and gasps in shock. Salt and water. "Kouga, could you go find some water, possibly even a lake, and some firewood?" "Sure." Kouga says, understanding that they were going to talk, as he walks in the direction he smells these things. "Sesshoumaru." "I said leave me be." He tells Inuyasha, not wanting to be seen like this. "I'm not leaving and you're going to talk to me." "There is nothing to speak about." "Yes, there is. I want to know why you blacked out," Inuyasha starts, pulling Sesshoumaru's head up to look into his eyes. "And why you're crying." "I am not crying." Sesshoumaru snaps, not willing to accept his faults. "Don't be stupid. Something happened between you and Kagome didn't it." "Yes." "What exactly happened." Inuyasha asks. Sesshoumaru leans into Inuyasha and whispers in his ear. "You did!" Inuyasha asks. Sesshoumaru nods and bends his head down, almost as if he deserved punishment. "Wow, you really love her don't you?" "I would not know, I have not loved a person before, therefore, I can not determine whether I love the miko or not." "It was more of a rhetorical question, I know that you do. Do you need our help to save her?" Inuyasha asks, knowing the obvious answer. Sesshoumaru just nods again and leans back into the rock, resting his mind.

Naraku had waited for Kagome to calm down and come talk to him again, but it had been close to five hours now and he was becoming restless. "I'll just go talk to her." He decides, standing up and walking down the dark halls of his castle. Naraku knocks on the large door that Kagome was behind and heard her soft answer. "Come in Naraku." He responded and opened the door to see her sitting in the darkest corner of her room in a chair. "How did you know I was me?" "I am a miko." "Oh yes, I know that." "I have come to a conclusion." Kagome tells him coldly, not even bothering to look at him. "What would that conclusion be?" "I am leaving." "Why?" He asks desperately, shocked that she would think about it when he had thought he had her under his control. "Because, I do not belong here." "Of course you do!" He yells, trying to enter her mind so that he can make her stay. With the smallest amount of power, she blocked him from doing so. "You can not make me do anything! I will be leaving now. Good bye Naraku." "You're just like Kikyo, you just use everyone to your advantage and you leave when you're done with them." He states, hoping to hit her heart directly. He got a direct shot, but he didn't realize how dangerous it was to tell Kagome something like that. "Naraku." She starts, her eyes turning a bright red and her hands flaming blue. "Never, and I mean never, relate me to Kikyo ever again!" She finished, the flames shooting from her to Naraku's chest. As he cringed in pain and fell to the floor, Kagome walked around him and left the castle.

Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Kouga were on their way to get Kagome. They could smell her now and she was somewhere close. They ran and ran, just to find the miko. Finally, they found her resting in a clearing, not sensing anyone around her. Inuyasha tells Sesshoumaru to go ahead and get her. He walks over to her and pulls her into his lap after sitting down. When she awakes, she gasps in surprise and her miko powers surge through the both of them. When she realizes who she's sitting with, she stops and tries to make sure Sesshoumaru's okay. "Sesshoumaru! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! Are you okay?" "I am fine miko. A spark like that would not hurt me, although, I think I may not be having children for a while." He jokes, making Kagome jump and him and hug him. "I'm sorry!" She yells. "I will be fine. I think I may be lacking the ability to hear." He tells her. Kagome reaches up and smacks him across the face. Inuyasha and Kouga both gasp in surprise and get ready to jump in if Sesshoumaru does something to her. Instead of doing anything wrong, he smiles slightly and pushes her onto the ground. Kagome's eyes widen and she finds out his motives. "No! Don't do it Sesshoumaru!" She screams, struggling to get out of his grasp. Sesshoumaru's hands move to her sides and he starts to tickle her mercilessly. Inuyasha and Kouga just shake their heads and walk away. What no one noticed was, Naraku was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect time to get back at Kagome.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru had gone back to his castle with Inuyasha and Kouga as well. Sesshoumaru had asked if they would like to visit for a while. "Sesshoumaru?" "Yes?" "What provoked you to invite Inuyasha and Kouga?" "I do not know. I suppose I am a lot more susceptible to doing things like that when I am around you. I just want you to be happy Kagome." He explains, taking a seat in the garden. Moments later, a little squealing voice came into hearing range. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he started to crawl away slowly. Kagome just laughed and watched as the form of the little girl came over the hills. "Hi Rin!" She yells, waving at the girl. "Kagome!" She screams, speeding up and jumping on Kagome upon getting to her. "How have you been?" Kagome asks, hugging the child tightly in her arms. "I've been excellent, how about you Kagome?" "Oh, not terribly bad." She replies, letting go and turning to Sesshoumaru, who was now stunned at the little reunion. He came back over and sat with the two. "You two know each other?"

The two girls stared at him in disbelief and then started laughing. "What is so funny?" Sesshoumaru asks, furrowing his eyebrows. "Of course we know each other Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin yells. "And where did you two come by each other?" Kagome places a finger on her chin and thinks for a moment. "You were off fighting your brother and I found Rin while I was wondering around in the forest nearby. We have been friends every since." "I see. So, because of that mutt, I did not know of a new acquaintance Rin made. I will have to teach him a lesson because of this." Sesshoumaru says, standing up and starting towards his home. "Sesshoumaru, where are you going?" Kagome asks, calling after him. "I am going inside. I have some things to attend to before dinner begins."

"Wait!" Kagome yells, running after Sesshoumaru before he can get into the house. "Is there something that is bothering you miko?" He asks, turning his back to her. "I want to know what your problem is!" "I assure you, there is no problem." "Yes there is! You know there is!" Kagome snaps, forcing him to turn around and look directly into her eyes. "No, you are sadly mistaken." Sesshoumaru informs her before turning around and reaching for the shoji screen to walk into his home. "Fine, if you cant tell me what's wrong, I'm leaving." Kagome screams before running away from the door and out of the gates to the castle. Rin runs to Sesshoumaru, tears forming in her eyes. Without even looking down, Sesshoumaru asks Rin why she is crying. "You are just going to let her go aren't you?" Rin asks, already knowing the answer. "Yes, she will eventually come back or be returned to me." Sesshoumaru explains to Rin. "I wont let her go alone!" Rin yells, turning to run after the miko. Sesshoumaru places his hand on her shoulder and takes her inside. "Why wont you let me go after her?" She asks, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes so she can look strong. "Because you have no reason to go after her, she will be back soon." Sesshoumaru tells her. After making sure Rin, Inuyasha, and Kouga were settled into their rooms, Sesshoumaru retreats to his own quarters, getting ready to relax for the night.

Sesshoumaru tosses and turns in his sleep, his mind not letting him rest until it knows everyone is safe. Suddenly, thunder and lightning strike and Sesshoumaru sits up, finally waking from his nightmare. As cold sweat drips from his body, he runs his fingers through his hair, smoothing out the tangles. "Why cant I get decent sleep?" He asks himself aloud. Because Kagome is out there somewhere in the middle of a storm and now you wont be able to find her on your own because of the water pouring from the sky. "I'm going for a walk." He says, standing up and putting on his clothing from the previous day. "I'll make sure I dress in new clothing later." Sesshoumaru walks down the halls, listening for any disturbances or for any of his guests that may be having a hard time sleeping as well. After finding no one else is awake, he walks outside and into the field. He lets the rain hit his body, soaking him from head to toe. He didn't know the storm was so bad but he didn't mind, he loved the rain, although no one knew about it, he truly did.

Sesshoumaru stands outside for a while, walking around aimlessly. He reaches the garden and finds a body laying among the flowers. Getting ready to discard it from his property, he inspects the body for any possible information on who it is. All he can see is glowing black hair that is sticking to the girls face. Aside from that, he can see that she is wearing something quite revealing. Maybe she can entertain me when she wakes up. How sick! You have Kagome! How can you even think of another woman! It is not like she will be coming back any time soon. Still, it's wrong. The black dress she had been wearing was clinging to her body, showing her detailed curves. Sesshoumaru bends down and turns the girl over and brushes the hair out of her face. He gasps and his eyes widen in horror and he sees who the girl is. It was his beloved Kagome.

Not thinking about anything, he picks her up and holds her close to his body. Her body stirs and she wakes from being unconscious. Looking around, she notices where she is and remembers how she got there. "Sesshoumaru?" She asks, looking up at the youkai. "Yes." "Aren't you worried about someone seeing us?" "No, I do not care anymore. As long as you promise me that you will never leave again." "I promise." She answers, hugging him tightly. Sesshoumaru bends down and places a kiss on Kagome's forehead as she starts to cry silently. The two sat silently in the cold rain for hours. Finally, when they did go to bed, they were both soaked and had to remove their clothing just to sleep comfortably.

Inuyasha wakes up shortly after Kagome and Sesshoumaru get to sleep. He decides that it's bored just sitting in his room until people woke up, so he stands up and opens the shoji screen to his room and walks the halls, looking for something to do. Eventually, he finds Kouga's room and he seems to be awake. Inuyasha knocks and an answer comes from within. Inuyasha enters the room and sits down next to the futon Kouga is in. "What are you doing here Inuyasha?" "Gomen. I was bored so I decided to find someone who was awake." "Oh, all right then." Kouga replies, sitting up. Inuyasha starts to stare at the wolfs chest as the covers slip off of it.

Kouga laughs as he watches the hanyou stare at him. "Inuyasha, what on Earth are you staring at?" Says Sesshoumaru as he enters the room. Inuyasha, being embarrassed, stands up and starts to sputter out his answer. "N-nothing. I wasn't st-staring at anything." Amusement dances within Sesshoumaru's eyes as he shakes his head. "What're you shaking your head at!" Inuyasha yells. "You and would you keep your unfortunately large mouth quiet, my love is trying to rest not too far down the hall." Sesshoumaru snaps, glaring at Inuyasha. "Your love? Since when did she get that name?" Kouga asks, interrupting the puppy fight that was about to erupt. "Since I decided. Now, I will let the two of you get back to whatever disgusting activities you were doing, I'm going to try and get some sleep as well." Sesshoumaru says, turning and opening the shoji screen to go back to his room. "Disgusting activities?" "Yes, and thanks to the two of you, I will not be going to sleep with pleasant dreams, now they will be plagued with the two of you doing things." He replies, visibly shuddering and leaving the two alone.

"Where does he get off telling us we're doing 'disgusting activities' when he's the one sleeping with someone in his room?" "Well, it's not like you made him think differently. I mean, you were in my room staring at my chest." Kouga responds, standing up and moving closer to the hanyou. "Inuyasha." "What!" "Come here." Kouga demands. Inuyasha thought for a moment and then moved the space between the two. Kouga wraps his arms around him and starts to whisper into his ear. "Why are you really here?" He asks huskily. "I-I don't know." "Oh I think you do." "I don't know what you're talking about Kouga." "Don't lie to me." Kouga tells him as he claims the mutts lips, this being Inuyasha's first kiss. When Kouga pulls away, he lays down in his futon. "Kouga, what are you doing?" "I'm laying down and I will be forcing you to if you don't join be quickly." He tells Inuyasha, moving over to make room for him. Inuyasha lays down and Kouga's arm wraps around his side. The two then fell asleep in each other's arms.

Kagome later wakes up to find herself still in Sesshoumaru's presence. She sits up slowly, trying not to wake him up and stretches until her body is no longer stiff. She slips out of bed and puts on her dress from the night before. This dress is so stiff. I think I'll go home and change today, maybe grab some clothing for the next few days. Kagome decides on that plan and then goes to search for paper. In the hallway, she finds a servant. "Excuse me sir." She says sweetly. The servant turns and looks at her like she has grown another head and walks over to her. "What is it miss?" "Do you know where I might find some paper and a pen?" She asks, watching for his reaction. "Yes." He says stiffly, walking to a small table in the hallway and pulling out the utensils from a hidden drawer. He hands them to her and she thanks him as he walks away. "Oh! Sir!" She yells, calling him back. "Please, do not call me sir, I am not of that title. Is there something else I can help you with?" "Do you know where Inuyasha's room is, or maybe Kouga's?" "Yes, Master Inuyasha is located five doors down on the left and Master Kouga is located ten doors down on the right. Anything else?" "No sir, thank you." She answers, turning to the table and writing a note for Sesshoumaru. After placing it next to him, she walks down to Kouga's room to tell him, knowing it would get to Inuyasha somehow.

Kagome knocks on the door and opens it when no one answers. She gasps and runs out of the house when she notices that the hanyou and Kouga were in the same futon. She gets on Ah-Un and rides to the well. When she gets home, she knocks on the door to her home, only to find no one home. Looking under the mat, she finds the spare key and thinks about how her mother should really try to hide it somewhere less obvious. She unlocks the door and walks to her room after shutting it and making sure every lock is locked, she had a habit of doing that ever since her night at the park. She grabbed a black backpack and filled it with anything she might need for the next week. Hearing her door click shut, she jumps up and runs out of her room to see that it was Sesshoumaru. "What are you doing here?" She asks, holding her chest, thinking she might die from a heart attack. "I came to get you so we can return home." "I just came to get some clothing. I would have been back in no more then an hour." "I still came." "Why?" "I wanted to make sure you were not in harms way, I am highly suspicious of this time." "Oh"

The two spent three hours there, gathering random things and talking. After Kagome had realized she had been talking to herself for over an hour, she turned around and looked at the bed. She giggled a little when she saw a very dormant Sesshoumaru laying on her bed. Noticing that it would probably be a key time to change out of the clothing she had been wearing for over a week. Kagome was very deep in thought as she pulled on a black pair of jeans, which she had got from America when she visited a year ago, and a tight black t-shirt. I suppose I should have taken Sesshoumaru's offer to wear a kimono or something when I was there because these clothes smell absolutely horrifying. I wonder when he's going to wake up… Kagome was still thinking when she noticed that he had been awake and staring at her for a couple minutes now. Jumping back a few inches, Kagome screamed. "How long have you been looking at me?" She asks, hoping it hasn't been as long as she thinks he has.

"I do believe I've been looking long enough to know what type of under garments you are wearing." He replies, smirking to himself. "Why in the hell didn't you say anything when you woke up!" "I was enjoying the view. You know, I don't get the chance to wake up and see a beautiful female with limited clothing on very often, let alone waking up at all." "Well, you still should have informed me so I could have at least gone into the bathroom." She tells him, scowling. "It is not like it is that big of a deal." "It is to me!" She yells, turning around and running into her bathroom across the hall. Slamming the door shut and locking it, only to slide to the floor and cry. Kagome reached for the razor she had unfortunately used a few too many times. She slid it across her skin, making blood flow like a river down the side of her arm. She let the blood pool beneath her on the bathroom floor, staining it with her sorrow once more.

A little while later, a light knock arrived at the bathroom door, causing Kagome to lift her head. "Sesshoumaru?" She asks, not entirely sure who it was due to the lack of strength it took to make the sound on the door. "It is me." He answers, his voice full of regret. "What do you want?" She snaps, not wanting to deal with him at the moment. "I wanted to tell you something, but you must let me in so I can tell you." "I'm not letting you in! You cant see me like this!" "What is so wrong that I can not see you?" He asks, looking down at something that was leaking through the crack in the door. No! Why is there blood coming through the door! Maybe she hit her head or something? I don't know what it is or what the problem is, but I have to find out! Calm down Sesshoumaru. You have to think, maybe it isn't blood. That was the end of his own conversation when he finally decided to smell the air, knowing his nose couldn't lie to himself. Sniffing the air, he cringed, not only to the smell of metallic blood, but also to the fact that he was all in all, only a dog and he knew he couldn't make Kagome happy. That was Inuyasha's job and he had known this since Inuyasha was born, it was Inuyasha's destiny. 


End file.
